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Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2022
- Messages
- 1,316
Thank you
Chapter 137
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2022
- Messages
- 1,316
Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 137
"Mrs. Wanda, we will invite you and the others to our house for a house blessing once everything settles down."
"I will definitely attend." Mrs. Wanda smiled and hugged Maya tightly. She waved her hand at the twins, who waved back. Mrs. Wanda was such a great grandma, she treated the twins with lots of food, often sneaking them snacks when Maya wasn't looking.
Even Foster was a little sad. Now that Karlos was going to leave, the villa was going to be lonely again. He rubbed the back of his neck and smiled at Karlos for the last time. He wouldn't have a drinking partner again, someone to share alcohol and stories with after tiring days.
With that, the truck left, accompanied by the entire Alejandro family. They were going to part ways from now on, as the Alejandro family would start their new chapter.
When they reached the beachside, Karlos's friends were already present to help them move their belongings inside.
Andres, Jerry, and Brandon were there. As for Domingo, he was working today as usual, so he couldn't help.
The men carried the heavy items into the house while Maya took care of the kids with the help of Reina, Andres' wife. The women also prepared something to eat.
The move took approximately an hour to complete. By that time, Maya had already cooked simple meals for them.
Karlos paid the driver and the porters and added tips to show his appreciation for their hard work.
With that, Karlos and Maya returned to the beachside. They still couldn't believe that they had a house now. And not just a simple house, but a proper one that looked beautiful.
As for the twins, they were clueless that their kubo was long gone, their memories too short to feel any sense of loss. It had now turned into an L-shaped house. They looked around innocently, their eyes wide with curiosity. The place looked bright but empty.
So far, the only furniture was a cabinet, a bedframe, and a table. The appliances consisted of a television, a stove, and an electric fan.
The twins looked around... The place was quite wide, perfect for exploring. They decided to roam the living room with their baby walkers and giggled as they moved across the smooth tiles.
"After my fishing tomorrow, let's buy furniture and appliances," Karlos said.
"Alright, I already wrote down what we need."
"Let's buy everything in one go so we don't have to keep coming back."
"Are you sure?" Maya asked.
"Let's buy them in one place so the delivery won't be a hassle. If we buy in bulk, the store won't have a problem using their truck. They'll gladly accommodate us."
"Babe, I'm thinking of buying an oven. Mrs. Wanda taught me how to bake, and she also gave me a recipe book for bread and pastries," Maya said excitedly. She was interested in baking because she wanted to feed her family homemade desserts.
"Not a problem. Let's buy everything you need and want."
"What about the money?"
"Well, buying all the appliances and furniture isn't going to exceed 1 million pesos, right?"
"... I don't know." Maya wasn't sure.
"Look at the stove you used earlier. Isn't it tough to cook using wood? We should buy a gas stove. It's safer and faster."
"Alright."
"Our house is brand new. Since we already spent a lot on the house, let's go all out and buy everything."
"Even a blender?"
"Why are you asking about a blender? A blender isn't really that expensive," Karlos said.
"Really? I thought a blender could cost 5,000 pesos."
"Probably not that expensive. We'll see tomorrow."
A week ago, Karlos sought out an old carpenter, one of their neighbors, to make bedframes, tables, and other wooden furniture such as cabinets and wardrobes. So far, the carpenter had already delivered a table and a bedframe.
They placed the table in the dining room, while the bedframe went into the master bedroom. The family would sleep on the bedframe together.
At night, the family had a hard time sleeping... The bed had no mattress to cushion them, only thin layers of bedding separating them from the wood. The twins had it slightly better because they were on a soft bedsheet, but it wasn't bouncy, so they couldn't play on it, which disappointed them. Maya and Karlos decided they must buy the best mattress available for better sleep.
Now that they had experienced luxury, they didn't want to punish themselves.
Around midnight, while the couple was asleep, Arabella cried after peeing herself. Naturally, Iñigo followed suit and soiled his diaper.
Karlos woke up and changed their diapers. He was used to the kids' midnight cries. He worked quickly so Maya wouldn't be disturbed and could continue resting.
However, when the twins tried to sleep again, the bedsheet wasn't comfortable enough, and they kept tossing around. Instinctively, they searched for a better spot. They found Maya sleeping on her back and they lay on her stomach.
They were too heavy, and Maya woke up having difficulty breathing. She looked at her children and found them sleeping soundly on her stomach and chest, completely relaxed.
She sighed and woke up Karlos, who had barely fallen asleep minutes earlier.
"Take them off me. They're too heavy. Let them sleep on your stomach if they don't want to sleep on the bedsheet." Being woken up, Maya was slightly irritated.
Karlos had no choice but to comply and placed the twins on his chest and stomach, accepting his fate. The rise and fall of his breathing made them comfortable, like gentle waves.
.........
......
...
The next day, after fishing, Karlos returned to the beach with Brandon. This time, he didn't have to dock his boat at the bay harbor anymore.
With money and receipts in his hands, he found that his wife was already prepared and dressed properly. They could leave at any moment to buy furniture and appliances.
As for the twins...
"Mama!! Waahhh!"
"No! Mama! Papa! Waahhh!"
They tried to leave the twins with Reina, but the children cried loudly and dramatically. It seemed they were learning and had realized that their parents were going somewhere nice without them. Absolutely not allowed.
The twins wanted to go with them. Karlos and Maya looked at each other helplessly.
"Let's take them and put them in strollers," Maya sighed in resignation. Her children were growing up and becoming more difficult to handle. They were one year and four months old after all, curious and stubborn. Fortunately, their strollers were foldable and didn't take up much space in the tricycle.
---
[Thank you for reading this novel. You can read more on my Patreon.]
"Mrs. Wanda, we will invite you and the others to our house for a house blessing once everything settles down."
"I will definitely attend." Mrs. Wanda smiled and hugged Maya tightly. She waved her hand at the twins, who waved back. Mrs. Wanda was such a great grandma, she treated the twins with lots of food, often sneaking them snacks when Maya wasn't looking.
Even Foster was a little sad. Now that Karlos was going to leave, the villa was going to be lonely again. He rubbed the back of his neck and smiled at Karlos for the last time. He wouldn't have a drinking partner again, someone to share alcohol and stories with after tiring days.
With that, the truck left, accompanied by the entire Alejandro family. They were going to part ways from now on, as the Alejandro family would start their new chapter.
When they reached the beachside, Karlos's friends were already present to help them move their belongings inside.
Andres, Jerry, and Brandon were there. As for Domingo, he was working today as usual, so he couldn't help.
The men carried the heavy items into the house while Maya took care of the kids with the help of Reina, Andres' wife. The women also prepared something to eat.
The move took approximately an hour to complete. By that time, Maya had already cooked simple meals for them.
Karlos paid the driver and the porters and added tips to show his appreciation for their hard work.
With that, Karlos and Maya returned to the beachside. They still couldn't believe that they had a house now. And not just a simple house, but a proper one that looked beautiful.
As for the twins, they were clueless that their kubo was long gone, their memories too short to feel any sense of loss. It had now turned into an L-shaped house. They looked around innocently, their eyes wide with curiosity. The place looked bright but empty.
So far, the only furniture was a cabinet, a bedframe, and a table. The appliances consisted of a television, a stove, and an electric fan.
The twins looked around... The place was quite wide, perfect for exploring. They decided to roam the living room with their baby walkers and giggled as they moved across the smooth tiles.
"After my fishing tomorrow, let's buy furniture and appliances," Karlos said.
"Alright, I already wrote down what we need."
"Let's buy everything in one go so we don't have to keep coming back."
"Are you sure?" Maya asked.
"Let's buy them in one place so the delivery won't be a hassle. If we buy in bulk, the store won't have a problem using their truck. They'll gladly accommodate us."
"Babe, I'm thinking of buying an oven. Mrs. Wanda taught me how to bake, and she also gave me a recipe book for bread and pastries," Maya said excitedly. She was interested in baking because she wanted to feed her family homemade desserts.
"Not a problem. Let's buy everything you need and want."
"What about the money?"
"Well, buying all the appliances and furniture isn't going to exceed 1 million pesos, right?"
"... I don't know." Maya wasn't sure.
"Look at the stove you used earlier. Isn't it tough to cook using wood? We should buy a gas stove. It's safer and faster."
"Alright."
"Our house is brand new. Since we already spent a lot on the house, let's go all out and buy everything."
"Even a blender?"
"Why are you asking about a blender? A blender isn't really that expensive," Karlos said.
"Really? I thought a blender could cost 5,000 pesos."
"Probably not that expensive. We'll see tomorrow."
A week ago, Karlos sought out an old carpenter, one of their neighbors, to make bedframes, tables, and other wooden furniture such as cabinets and wardrobes. So far, the carpenter had already delivered a table and a bedframe.
They placed the table in the dining room, while the bedframe went into the master bedroom. The family would sleep on the bedframe together.
At night, the family had a hard time sleeping... The bed had no mattress to cushion them, only thin layers of bedding separating them from the wood. The twins had it slightly better because they were on a soft bedsheet, but it wasn't bouncy, so they couldn't play on it, which disappointed them. Maya and Karlos decided they must buy the best mattress available for better sleep.
Now that they had experienced luxury, they didn't want to punish themselves.
Around midnight, while the couple was asleep, Arabella cried after peeing herself. Naturally, Iñigo followed suit and soiled his diaper.
Karlos woke up and changed their diapers. He was used to the kids' midnight cries. He worked quickly so Maya wouldn't be disturbed and could continue resting.
However, when the twins tried to sleep again, the bedsheet wasn't comfortable enough, and they kept tossing around. Instinctively, they searched for a better spot. They found Maya sleeping on her back and they lay on her stomach.
They were too heavy, and Maya woke up having difficulty breathing. She looked at her children and found them sleeping soundly on her stomach and chest, completely relaxed.
She sighed and woke up Karlos, who had barely fallen asleep minutes earlier.
"Take them off me. They're too heavy. Let them sleep on your stomach if they don't want to sleep on the bedsheet." Being woken up, Maya was slightly irritated.
Karlos had no choice but to comply and placed the twins on his chest and stomach, accepting his fate. The rise and fall of his breathing made them comfortable, like gentle waves.
.........
......
...
The next day, after fishing, Karlos returned to the beach with Brandon. This time, he didn't have to dock his boat at the bay harbor anymore.
With money and receipts in his hands, he found that his wife was already prepared and dressed properly. They could leave at any moment to buy furniture and appliances.
As for the twins...
"Mama!! Waahhh!"
"No! Mama! Papa! Waahhh!"
They tried to leave the twins with Reina, but the children cried loudly and dramatically. It seemed they were learning and had realized that their parents were going somewhere nice without them. Absolutely not allowed.
The twins wanted to go with them. Karlos and Maya looked at each other helplessly.
"Let's take them and put them in strollers," Maya sighed in resignation. Her children were growing up and becoming more difficult to handle. They were one year and four months old after all, curious and stubborn. Fortunately, their strollers were foldable and didn't take up much space in the tricycle.
---
[Thank you for reading this novel. You can read more on my Patreon.]
Chapter 138
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2022
- Messages
- 1,316
Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 138
They hired a tricycle to take them to the central plaza, where a huge appliance store stood, a well-known place in the town. It was the same store where the family bought their television last year.
When they entered the place, the twins were mesmerized by the items around them. The place was colossal for toddlers like them, with towering shelves and wide aisles making them feel small, and every shelf was filled with a variety of items.
They didn't know the purpose of each appliance, but everything looked slick and futuristic, making them happy, their excitement simple and pure. Their eyes widened as they pointed at random machines, babbling happily.
As expected, their parents would go to a nice place. They were bad parents for trying to leave them behind and go to this nice place, or so the twins believed.
Maya pulled out a paper. She had listed all of the things they needed. She wasn't lying when she said she already listed every item thoroughly. Her handwriting was neat, and she had determined eyes. Regardless of the price, they would buy everything, although she hoped it wouldn't be expensive.
"Excuse me, Ma'am, Sir, are you looking for something?" a female sales clerk asked the family. She looked at the couple, then at the twins in the strollers, quickly assessing the situation.
"Yeah, about that... Can you help us look for this stuff?" Maya passed the paper to the woman.
"Eh? Huh? I mean— HUH!?" The sales clerk was shocked when she saw the things listed. If she ballparked the price, everything on the list would be over 100,000 pesos, an amount few customers spent at once!
That was freaking huge, even by her experience!
A big customer! She met a big spender. The sales clerk could get a commission out of this.
"Absolutely, Ma'am! I'll take care of it."
"Thank you so much." Maya appreciated her enthusiasm. They had twins to take care of, and it would take them a long time to search for each appliance if they explored the store. It was troublesome, especially with the twins pointing at almost everything, their energy endless.
Of course, Karlos was there to make sure all of the items they brought were working perfectly. He checked the switches, handles, plugs, and everything.
The sales clerk contacted her manager. The manager grew excited when he saw the list and immediately contacted more people to take care of the job. They wanted this sale to go through and succeed smoothly.
Yet despite the fact that there were more people working together, it still took three hours for all of the items to arrive. Karlos checked those he could check.
The manager promised the family that they would receive warranties and a 5% discount, making the family satisfied, especially Maya.
"The delivery truck? No problem, Sir. We will definitely deliver these items today, with no delivery fees. Can we get your address and contact information? Is your house near the road?"
"Yes, it's next to the street."
"That is great to hear, Sir."
If their house was far from the road, the porters didn't have a choice but to carry the items by hand. Fortunately, the Alejandro family's house was close to the road, making things easier for everyone involved.
When the computation arrived, Karlos and Maya were slightly shocked that their purchases cost them 139,000 pesos. Fortunately, they had enough cash on hand to pay. Maya squeezed Karlos's arm as she paid. Even with a 5% discount, it was still a huge amount of money.
The cashier confirmed the amount and gave them the receipt. The manager was happy about the big profit and assured them that the delivery would arrive that day with confidence. He was smiling as they waved them goodbye.
The family bought donuts, four slices of cake, and a whole roasted chicken before returning to the beachside.
The delivery truck arrived shortly after, and it was another job of carrying stuff. Maya confirmed that everything on the list was present before bidding the delivery team farewell. Karlos gave them tips, and the porters thanked him before leaving.
The couple looked at the appliances spread across the house. Since the porters helped them carry the furniture and appliances, Maya took advantage of that and put them in the spots she wanted them to be.
She smiled and rubbed the slick surface of their brand-new refrigerator. The idea of drinking cold, refreshing water in the middle of summer was so great. Now, the idea was no longer just an idea, it was reality.
She couldn't help but feel emotional, so she wiped her tears. At last, they had completed all the appliances and furniture in the house.
Even the children felt comfortable on the sofa, although the plastic cover made crinkly sounds whenever they tried to move.
Arabella frowned as she wanted to feel the touch of fabric instead of the smooth plastic. She tried to tear up the plastic cover, but her small hands were not strong enough, no matter how hard she tried.
"Nope, nope, you will not tear the plastic. Here, give me a minute." Maya saw her daughter's relentless movement against the plastic that protected the sofa. Maya wanted to maintain the brand-new appearance of the sofa for a long time, so she didn't want to tear the plastic.
Instead, she put the twins on the floor and let them crawl once in a while. She then used a sofa cover and put it over the sofa to protect it from Arabella's curious hands, a compromise.
She looked at her living room. There was the TV stand, complete with the television and VHS player. Yes, VHS was still the preferred player back in 2001, as most movies were on VHS tapes.
There was a sofa and a small coffee table in front of it. Maya nodded, satisfied with what they bought.
Then, she checked the kitchen, where Karlos was setting up the gas stove.
"Everything's done," Karlos said.
Maya looked at the nice-looking kitchen, bright and organized. There was an oven, microwave, refrigerator, blender, and stove, everything they needed.
"Let's buy a lot of food tomorrow to fill up the refrigerator," Karlos said to Maya.
"Hm, let's buy fruits too. I want to try and make a fruit shake for the children."
The couple looked at each other and smiled, sharing a quiet moment. Karlos approached her and lightly kissed her lips.
"You look beautiful as always," he said, putting his hands on her waist affectionately.
"Karlos, we've been married for years," Maya smirked. "I know what you're thinking. We won't buy beer."
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Karlos tried to act innocent. He didn't expect his wife to catch his intention so fast.
---
[Thank you for reading this novel. You can read more on my Patreon.]
They hired a tricycle to take them to the central plaza, where a huge appliance store stood, a well-known place in the town. It was the same store where the family bought their television last year.
When they entered the place, the twins were mesmerized by the items around them. The place was colossal for toddlers like them, with towering shelves and wide aisles making them feel small, and every shelf was filled with a variety of items.
They didn't know the purpose of each appliance, but everything looked slick and futuristic, making them happy, their excitement simple and pure. Their eyes widened as they pointed at random machines, babbling happily.
As expected, their parents would go to a nice place. They were bad parents for trying to leave them behind and go to this nice place, or so the twins believed.
Maya pulled out a paper. She had listed all of the things they needed. She wasn't lying when she said she already listed every item thoroughly. Her handwriting was neat, and she had determined eyes. Regardless of the price, they would buy everything, although she hoped it wouldn't be expensive.
"Excuse me, Ma'am, Sir, are you looking for something?" a female sales clerk asked the family. She looked at the couple, then at the twins in the strollers, quickly assessing the situation.
"Yeah, about that... Can you help us look for this stuff?" Maya passed the paper to the woman.
"Eh? Huh? I mean— HUH!?" The sales clerk was shocked when she saw the things listed. If she ballparked the price, everything on the list would be over 100,000 pesos, an amount few customers spent at once!
That was freaking huge, even by her experience!
A big customer! She met a big spender. The sales clerk could get a commission out of this.
"Absolutely, Ma'am! I'll take care of it."
"Thank you so much." Maya appreciated her enthusiasm. They had twins to take care of, and it would take them a long time to search for each appliance if they explored the store. It was troublesome, especially with the twins pointing at almost everything, their energy endless.
Of course, Karlos was there to make sure all of the items they brought were working perfectly. He checked the switches, handles, plugs, and everything.
The sales clerk contacted her manager. The manager grew excited when he saw the list and immediately contacted more people to take care of the job. They wanted this sale to go through and succeed smoothly.
Yet despite the fact that there were more people working together, it still took three hours for all of the items to arrive. Karlos checked those he could check.
The manager promised the family that they would receive warranties and a 5% discount, making the family satisfied, especially Maya.
"The delivery truck? No problem, Sir. We will definitely deliver these items today, with no delivery fees. Can we get your address and contact information? Is your house near the road?"
"Yes, it's next to the street."
"That is great to hear, Sir."
If their house was far from the road, the porters didn't have a choice but to carry the items by hand. Fortunately, the Alejandro family's house was close to the road, making things easier for everyone involved.
When the computation arrived, Karlos and Maya were slightly shocked that their purchases cost them 139,000 pesos. Fortunately, they had enough cash on hand to pay. Maya squeezed Karlos's arm as she paid. Even with a 5% discount, it was still a huge amount of money.
The cashier confirmed the amount and gave them the receipt. The manager was happy about the big profit and assured them that the delivery would arrive that day with confidence. He was smiling as they waved them goodbye.
The family bought donuts, four slices of cake, and a whole roasted chicken before returning to the beachside.
The delivery truck arrived shortly after, and it was another job of carrying stuff. Maya confirmed that everything on the list was present before bidding the delivery team farewell. Karlos gave them tips, and the porters thanked him before leaving.
The couple looked at the appliances spread across the house. Since the porters helped them carry the furniture and appliances, Maya took advantage of that and put them in the spots she wanted them to be.
She smiled and rubbed the slick surface of their brand-new refrigerator. The idea of drinking cold, refreshing water in the middle of summer was so great. Now, the idea was no longer just an idea, it was reality.
She couldn't help but feel emotional, so she wiped her tears. At last, they had completed all the appliances and furniture in the house.
Even the children felt comfortable on the sofa, although the plastic cover made crinkly sounds whenever they tried to move.
Arabella frowned as she wanted to feel the touch of fabric instead of the smooth plastic. She tried to tear up the plastic cover, but her small hands were not strong enough, no matter how hard she tried.
"Nope, nope, you will not tear the plastic. Here, give me a minute." Maya saw her daughter's relentless movement against the plastic that protected the sofa. Maya wanted to maintain the brand-new appearance of the sofa for a long time, so she didn't want to tear the plastic.
Instead, she put the twins on the floor and let them crawl once in a while. She then used a sofa cover and put it over the sofa to protect it from Arabella's curious hands, a compromise.
She looked at her living room. There was the TV stand, complete with the television and VHS player. Yes, VHS was still the preferred player back in 2001, as most movies were on VHS tapes.
There was a sofa and a small coffee table in front of it. Maya nodded, satisfied with what they bought.
Then, she checked the kitchen, where Karlos was setting up the gas stove.
"Everything's done," Karlos said.
Maya looked at the nice-looking kitchen, bright and organized. There was an oven, microwave, refrigerator, blender, and stove, everything they needed.
"Let's buy a lot of food tomorrow to fill up the refrigerator," Karlos said to Maya.
"Hm, let's buy fruits too. I want to try and make a fruit shake for the children."
The couple looked at each other and smiled, sharing a quiet moment. Karlos approached her and lightly kissed her lips.
"You look beautiful as always," he said, putting his hands on her waist affectionately.
"Karlos, we've been married for years," Maya smirked. "I know what you're thinking. We won't buy beer."
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Karlos tried to act innocent. He didn't expect his wife to catch his intention so fast.
---
[Thank you for reading this novel. You can read more on my Patreon.]
Chapter 139
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2022
- Messages
- 1,316
Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 139
"I will not buy beer," she said sternly.
"Babe, please."
Karlos hugged her and showed his pitiful face. Maya laughed and lightly smacked his shoulder, unable to stay serious.
"How about I treat you to something nice later?" His voice lowered.
"Oh? What is it?" Maya raised her brow.
"We can..." Karlos whispered right beside her ear, and Maya's heart beat fast. Her face reddened when she heard what he whispered.
"What are you talking about? T-That's, you brute!" She covered her mouth.
"Come on. The mattress and bed frame are brand new, and they can withstand what's about to happen. We also bought a bigger baby crib for the twins. They don't have to sleep with us anymore. We can..." Karlos further whispered as his hands slowly moved down to her...
"Staph~" Maya slapped his hand, not too hard.
Unfortunately, no matter how much Maya tried to deflect Karlos, she was too "weak" to say no. After some kisses here and there, she agreed to buy a case of beer, a compromise she accepted. Karlos was satisfied with that.
.........
......
...
The next day, Brandon and Karlos finished their job at 11 a.m. and returned to the beach, the sun already high. They earned 48,000 pesos today.
However, a shocking event occurred that day.
"This..."
Karlos and Brandon looked at the fishing vessel a few hundred meters away from the shore, its silhouette imposing. It was a commercial trawler boat, about 25 meters long, far larger than bangkas, a common type of fishing vessel in their region.
Being a big boat, it couldn't dock on land, or else it would be stranded as the hull was too deep. Hence, a big boat like this needed to anchor farther from the shore where the water was deeper.
"This boat is new. I've never seen it on our shore," Brandon muttered.
Having big fishing vessels at their shore was not a new thing, although they could only be counted on one hand. The boat captains living on the beachside preferred to anchor their fishing vessels at the shore instead of the bay harbor because it was closer and less hassle in transportation.
But the boat they were seeing right now looked new, its fresh paint visible. The two quickly caught on. Another fisherman bought a commercial trawler boat, a bold move.
It was a medium-sized commercial trawler boat that could travel farther into deeper waters. It had bigger storage with a freezer hold and refrigeration, and the fish would last longer. This was storage that bangkas usually didn't have. It also had a wheelhouse where the captain operated the boat, unlike a bangka, which didn't even have a separate room because of space issues. Well, it was big for a reason. It also had radio communication.
Aside from long-lasting fish storage, the fishing vessel also had a trawl winch, a powerful machine that pulled nets, unlike bangkas that needed manpower to pull them.
Yeah, it was a better boat, no denying it. Its major upgrades were the stronger engine, a trawl winch, refrigeration, radio communication, and bigger space.
The two men looked at the boat before leaving the beach. On their way home, they saw that a lot of people were standing in front of Antonio's house.
"Antonio, is it true the new boat at the shore is yours?" they asked. Antonio, the fisherman, was grinning and didn't deny it.
"Yes, it's mine. Haha, I decided to buy a bigger boat and try my luck catching tuna," he laughed loudly.
"So it's true," someone whispered.
The neighbors murmured. Karlos and Brandon listened since they were present and standing nearby.
"How much was the boat?"
"20 million pesos."
"Sheesh."
They hissed when they heard the price. It was too expensive.
"How did you afford it?"
The curious onlookers always wanted to know, they couldn't help it.
"I saved some money and also earned a lot during last year's salmon and tuna season. My boat caught a lot of Bluefin and Yellowfin tuna last year."
The neighbors had also heard about that. Some fishermen stared at Antonio with envy. They also wanted to buy a bigger boat and fish in deeper waters. The fish near the shore were small and few after decades of endless fishing. But the farther out to sea, the better and more abundant the catch.
However, they knew it would take years or even decades to save enough money to buy a medium-sized fishing vessel. And by that time, would it even be worth it? The price of a boat would only increase as the years went by.
Antonio was happy, but he was also nervous. All of his savings were spent on the fishing boat, a big gamble. He was not sure if his decision was right or wrong, as he knew the ocean was unpredictable. He had been a fisherman for many years. He first ordered a 10-meter bangka from the shipyard but decided to upgrade to a commercial fishing boat instead.
He hoped that his new boat would perform well in December and catch a lot of salmon and tuna. That way, he could feel at ease.
"So what about your bangka? Are you going to sell it?" It seemed that some people were interested in buying Antonio's bangka for a second-hand price.
His bangka was mid-sized and three to four people could operate it. Besides, it was a bangka that caught a lot of salmon and tuna last year with proven luck. It might be blessed by the sea.
"No, I won't sell it." Antonio shook his head. He had no intention of selling the bangka as it was still in good condition.
"Why not?" someone asked quickly.
"My second son doesn't want to pursue college, and he wants to be a fisherman. I'll give him the bangka instead," Antonio announced.
"Tonight, my family will celebrate. Please come by later," Antonio added. He said he wanted to take a rest, he was tired. Being the center of attention was fulfilling, but it was time to rest, and he excused himself.
Karlos and Brandon carried the fishing equipment to Karlos's house. Once done, Brandon bid farewell and headed home.
Karlos was thinking about what he heard from Antonio. A 25-meter commercial trawler boat costs 20 million pesos... Sheesh, Karlos also hissed at that price.
'Seems like I need to take it slow,' he sighed.
Karlos already had a plan for this year. First, he wanted to buy a sidecar since they needed transportation whenever they bought groceries and visited other places.
As for buying a mid-size bangka, that was also on his mind. He just wanted to buy a sidecar first since it was cheaper and more realistic.
---
[Author's Note:]
You can read more on my Patreon with:
81 advance chapters of Behind The Spotlight
63 advance chapters of Reincarnated as a Fisherman and Dad
Patreon link: https://www.patreon.com/Puji_makii
"I will not buy beer," she said sternly.
"Babe, please."
Karlos hugged her and showed his pitiful face. Maya laughed and lightly smacked his shoulder, unable to stay serious.
"How about I treat you to something nice later?" His voice lowered.
"Oh? What is it?" Maya raised her brow.
"We can..." Karlos whispered right beside her ear, and Maya's heart beat fast. Her face reddened when she heard what he whispered.
"What are you talking about? T-That's, you brute!" She covered her mouth.
"Come on. The mattress and bed frame are brand new, and they can withstand what's about to happen. We also bought a bigger baby crib for the twins. They don't have to sleep with us anymore. We can..." Karlos further whispered as his hands slowly moved down to her...
"Staph~" Maya slapped his hand, not too hard.
Unfortunately, no matter how much Maya tried to deflect Karlos, she was too "weak" to say no. After some kisses here and there, she agreed to buy a case of beer, a compromise she accepted. Karlos was satisfied with that.
.........
......
...
The next day, Brandon and Karlos finished their job at 11 a.m. and returned to the beach, the sun already high. They earned 48,000 pesos today.
However, a shocking event occurred that day.
"This..."
Karlos and Brandon looked at the fishing vessel a few hundred meters away from the shore, its silhouette imposing. It was a commercial trawler boat, about 25 meters long, far larger than bangkas, a common type of fishing vessel in their region.
Being a big boat, it couldn't dock on land, or else it would be stranded as the hull was too deep. Hence, a big boat like this needed to anchor farther from the shore where the water was deeper.
"This boat is new. I've never seen it on our shore," Brandon muttered.
Having big fishing vessels at their shore was not a new thing, although they could only be counted on one hand. The boat captains living on the beachside preferred to anchor their fishing vessels at the shore instead of the bay harbor because it was closer and less hassle in transportation.
But the boat they were seeing right now looked new, its fresh paint visible. The two quickly caught on. Another fisherman bought a commercial trawler boat, a bold move.
It was a medium-sized commercial trawler boat that could travel farther into deeper waters. It had bigger storage with a freezer hold and refrigeration, and the fish would last longer. This was storage that bangkas usually didn't have. It also had a wheelhouse where the captain operated the boat, unlike a bangka, which didn't even have a separate room because of space issues. Well, it was big for a reason. It also had radio communication.
Aside from long-lasting fish storage, the fishing vessel also had a trawl winch, a powerful machine that pulled nets, unlike bangkas that needed manpower to pull them.
Yeah, it was a better boat, no denying it. Its major upgrades were the stronger engine, a trawl winch, refrigeration, radio communication, and bigger space.
The two men looked at the boat before leaving the beach. On their way home, they saw that a lot of people were standing in front of Antonio's house.
"Antonio, is it true the new boat at the shore is yours?" they asked. Antonio, the fisherman, was grinning and didn't deny it.
"Yes, it's mine. Haha, I decided to buy a bigger boat and try my luck catching tuna," he laughed loudly.
"So it's true," someone whispered.
The neighbors murmured. Karlos and Brandon listened since they were present and standing nearby.
"How much was the boat?"
"20 million pesos."
"Sheesh."
They hissed when they heard the price. It was too expensive.
"How did you afford it?"
The curious onlookers always wanted to know, they couldn't help it.
"I saved some money and also earned a lot during last year's salmon and tuna season. My boat caught a lot of Bluefin and Yellowfin tuna last year."
The neighbors had also heard about that. Some fishermen stared at Antonio with envy. They also wanted to buy a bigger boat and fish in deeper waters. The fish near the shore were small and few after decades of endless fishing. But the farther out to sea, the better and more abundant the catch.
However, they knew it would take years or even decades to save enough money to buy a medium-sized fishing vessel. And by that time, would it even be worth it? The price of a boat would only increase as the years went by.
Antonio was happy, but he was also nervous. All of his savings were spent on the fishing boat, a big gamble. He was not sure if his decision was right or wrong, as he knew the ocean was unpredictable. He had been a fisherman for many years. He first ordered a 10-meter bangka from the shipyard but decided to upgrade to a commercial fishing boat instead.
He hoped that his new boat would perform well in December and catch a lot of salmon and tuna. That way, he could feel at ease.
"So what about your bangka? Are you going to sell it?" It seemed that some people were interested in buying Antonio's bangka for a second-hand price.
His bangka was mid-sized and three to four people could operate it. Besides, it was a bangka that caught a lot of salmon and tuna last year with proven luck. It might be blessed by the sea.
"No, I won't sell it." Antonio shook his head. He had no intention of selling the bangka as it was still in good condition.
"Why not?" someone asked quickly.
"My second son doesn't want to pursue college, and he wants to be a fisherman. I'll give him the bangka instead," Antonio announced.
"Tonight, my family will celebrate. Please come by later," Antonio added. He said he wanted to take a rest, he was tired. Being the center of attention was fulfilling, but it was time to rest, and he excused himself.
Karlos and Brandon carried the fishing equipment to Karlos's house. Once done, Brandon bid farewell and headed home.
Karlos was thinking about what he heard from Antonio. A 25-meter commercial trawler boat costs 20 million pesos... Sheesh, Karlos also hissed at that price.
'Seems like I need to take it slow,' he sighed.
Karlos already had a plan for this year. First, he wanted to buy a sidecar since they needed transportation whenever they bought groceries and visited other places.
As for buying a mid-size bangka, that was also on his mind. He just wanted to buy a sidecar first since it was cheaper and more realistic.
---
[Author's Note:]
You can read more on my Patreon with:
81 advance chapters of Behind The Spotlight
63 advance chapters of Reincarnated as a Fisherman and Dad
Patreon link: https://www.patreon.com/Puji_makii
Chapter 140
New
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2022
- Messages
- 1,316
Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 140
Karlos opened the door and found the twins watching a children's show. Maya was in the kitchen, cooking their lunch.
"Papa!"
The twins ran excitedly and hugged his legs, which made Karlos smile. He decided to forget about work today and entertain his children instead. Family first. He carried them to the sofa and sat down next to them.
"Did you miss Papa?"
"Yes!" they answered at the same time.
"Babe, what beef dish do you want?" Maya wiped her hands using her apron.
"Beef Caldereta. Also, I have three lobsters and a kilogram of abalones today. Let's cook them tonight." Karlos handed a plastic bag to her.
"Alright, I'll put them in the refrigerator. Your clothes are already prepared in the room. Change into them, then look after the children while I'm cooking," she instructed.
Karlos stood up and listened to his wife's command obediently. He went to the bedroom and changed clothes, then returned to the living room. There was a pitcher of cold water on the coffee table for him. He drank two glasses of water and felt refreshed.
He then sat on the sofa, looking at the children. Arabella and Iñigo's eyes were still on the television, watching a Mexican cartoon girl. The name of the show was Bora the Explorer.
'So this is Thera's version of Dora,' he thought.
"Swippee no swiping!"
When a fox tried to approach Bora, both Arabella and Iñigo cried out the chant to prevent the fox from stealing Bora's belongings. They clapped their hands when the fox failed to steal from Bora.
He watched the show with them, but he got bored quickly. He decided to take a nap, and he only woke up when the children played with his face, poking him with tiny fingers.
"You guys are naughty." He grinned and tickled them, which made the twins squeal and giggle as they rolled around.
"Lunch is ready, let's eat," Maya announced warmly.
"Papa up! Up!" Arabella raised her hand, asking to be carried with expectant eyes. Iñigo also clung to Karlos's shirt as he wanted to be carried too.
"Alright, let me just..." He scooped up Arabella first, then Iñigo, lifting them carefully. The kids were happy that they were being carried even over a short distance.
Lately, their mother had avoided carrying them. She let them explore the new house by crawling or using the baby walkers. So their father was the only person who pampered them by carrying them. On top of that, he carried them at the same time, which made it better and more enjoyable. It was double the fun.
For the twins, a simple act of carrying was already fulfilling, enough to make them happy. Before Karlos put them in their seats, Maya prepared two baby seats for them to use. These baby seats were meant for children, they were elevated so that the parents didn't have to lower their heads when feeding them, a practical design.
"My neck got tired of looking down too much. It's better this way," Maya said.
For the second time, the babies saw the table from a higher view because of their tall seats. They even clapped their hands.
After praying for grace and thanking the Ocean Goddess, the family had their lunch.
"Here's the first spoon, Arabella. Say ah~" Maya blew the food, making sure it was not hot for her daughter to eat.
At the age of one year and four months, the twins could eat almost everything as long as it was cut into small pieces and not a choking hazard.
Arabella opened her mouth and accepted the food. She munched it.
Maya couldn't help but smile at her daughter. What she fed Arabella was a small piece of meat with bits of rice and shredded broccoli. She was impressed that her daughter ate vegetables!
When Maya was still young, she didn't really like leafy greens or anything defined as vegetables. She then curiously glanced at Karlos, who was feeding the well-behaved Iñigo.
"Babe, when you were young, did you also hate vegetables?" she asked casually.
"Me? No, I basically ate anything," he answered honestly.
"I see, that means our twins take after you when it comes to eating vegetables." She nodded.
"Hm, I guess so."
Karlos didn't explain the reason why he didn't avoid vegetables... His parents never really took care of him and rarely gave him food. Karlos had to eat the food that his older brother and younger sister didn't like, which were vegetable dishes, mostly leftovers. He didn't have a choice but to eat vegetables because he would starve... He was basically eating leftover food for survival.
Even in his first life, Karlos was an orphan who lived his entire life in an orphanage with a lonely upbringing. The orphanage had a lot of children to feed, and Karlos couldn't fill his stomach completely. Any food was a blessing to him.
Karlos looked at Iñigo's innocent eyes. Now that he was a father, Karlos would make sure his children would eat delicious food. He wanted them to enjoy their childhood with no regrets.
He gently kissed Iñigo's forehead.
"Papa loves you." He couldn't help but say that as he wanted the children to understand that he would protect them from everything because he loved them.
"Hm," Iñigo nodded. "Wuv you," he added in a baby voice.
It was true that the couple rarely had the chance to enjoy lunch because they had to feed their gluttonous twins while eating. Still, it was something they had to do simply because they loved their children.
After lunch, Karlos decided to take a nap on the sofa. The twins were also sleeping on his stomach and chest, finding comfort and warmth.
Around 4 p.m., someone called Karlos's name from outside.
"Hey, Karlos! We are going to Antonio's, are you coming with us?"
Immediately, Karlos opened his eyes.
He found Maya's crimson eyes coldly staring at him.
"Babe, someone's calling me outside," he nervously chuckled.
"...Tch, just don't return late. Don't get too drunk." Maya clicked her tongue. She couldn't really stop Karlos from enjoying drinking sessions with the boys.
"I will, we're just going to Antonio's. Old man Ted might also be there. Remember what happened last night? I have to talk to old man Ted to fix the headboard of the bed," he explained quickly.
"And whose fault was it that it was broken, huh?" Maya blushed and glared at Karlos.
It was embarrassing that the couple had already destroyed the headboard in just one night... a passionate accident.
+++
[This novel has 63 chapters on Patreon.]
Karlos opened the door and found the twins watching a children's show. Maya was in the kitchen, cooking their lunch.
"Papa!"
The twins ran excitedly and hugged his legs, which made Karlos smile. He decided to forget about work today and entertain his children instead. Family first. He carried them to the sofa and sat down next to them.
"Did you miss Papa?"
"Yes!" they answered at the same time.
"Babe, what beef dish do you want?" Maya wiped her hands using her apron.
"Beef Caldereta. Also, I have three lobsters and a kilogram of abalones today. Let's cook them tonight." Karlos handed a plastic bag to her.
"Alright, I'll put them in the refrigerator. Your clothes are already prepared in the room. Change into them, then look after the children while I'm cooking," she instructed.
Karlos stood up and listened to his wife's command obediently. He went to the bedroom and changed clothes, then returned to the living room. There was a pitcher of cold water on the coffee table for him. He drank two glasses of water and felt refreshed.
He then sat on the sofa, looking at the children. Arabella and Iñigo's eyes were still on the television, watching a Mexican cartoon girl. The name of the show was Bora the Explorer.
'So this is Thera's version of Dora,' he thought.
"Swippee no swiping!"
When a fox tried to approach Bora, both Arabella and Iñigo cried out the chant to prevent the fox from stealing Bora's belongings. They clapped their hands when the fox failed to steal from Bora.
He watched the show with them, but he got bored quickly. He decided to take a nap, and he only woke up when the children played with his face, poking him with tiny fingers.
"You guys are naughty." He grinned and tickled them, which made the twins squeal and giggle as they rolled around.
"Lunch is ready, let's eat," Maya announced warmly.
"Papa up! Up!" Arabella raised her hand, asking to be carried with expectant eyes. Iñigo also clung to Karlos's shirt as he wanted to be carried too.
"Alright, let me just..." He scooped up Arabella first, then Iñigo, lifting them carefully. The kids were happy that they were being carried even over a short distance.
Lately, their mother had avoided carrying them. She let them explore the new house by crawling or using the baby walkers. So their father was the only person who pampered them by carrying them. On top of that, he carried them at the same time, which made it better and more enjoyable. It was double the fun.
For the twins, a simple act of carrying was already fulfilling, enough to make them happy. Before Karlos put them in their seats, Maya prepared two baby seats for them to use. These baby seats were meant for children, they were elevated so that the parents didn't have to lower their heads when feeding them, a practical design.
"My neck got tired of looking down too much. It's better this way," Maya said.
For the second time, the babies saw the table from a higher view because of their tall seats. They even clapped their hands.
After praying for grace and thanking the Ocean Goddess, the family had their lunch.
"Here's the first spoon, Arabella. Say ah~" Maya blew the food, making sure it was not hot for her daughter to eat.
At the age of one year and four months, the twins could eat almost everything as long as it was cut into small pieces and not a choking hazard.
Arabella opened her mouth and accepted the food. She munched it.
Maya couldn't help but smile at her daughter. What she fed Arabella was a small piece of meat with bits of rice and shredded broccoli. She was impressed that her daughter ate vegetables!
When Maya was still young, she didn't really like leafy greens or anything defined as vegetables. She then curiously glanced at Karlos, who was feeding the well-behaved Iñigo.
"Babe, when you were young, did you also hate vegetables?" she asked casually.
"Me? No, I basically ate anything," he answered honestly.
"I see, that means our twins take after you when it comes to eating vegetables." She nodded.
"Hm, I guess so."
Karlos didn't explain the reason why he didn't avoid vegetables... His parents never really took care of him and rarely gave him food. Karlos had to eat the food that his older brother and younger sister didn't like, which were vegetable dishes, mostly leftovers. He didn't have a choice but to eat vegetables because he would starve... He was basically eating leftover food for survival.
Even in his first life, Karlos was an orphan who lived his entire life in an orphanage with a lonely upbringing. The orphanage had a lot of children to feed, and Karlos couldn't fill his stomach completely. Any food was a blessing to him.
Karlos looked at Iñigo's innocent eyes. Now that he was a father, Karlos would make sure his children would eat delicious food. He wanted them to enjoy their childhood with no regrets.
He gently kissed Iñigo's forehead.
"Papa loves you." He couldn't help but say that as he wanted the children to understand that he would protect them from everything because he loved them.
"Hm," Iñigo nodded. "Wuv you," he added in a baby voice.
It was true that the couple rarely had the chance to enjoy lunch because they had to feed their gluttonous twins while eating. Still, it was something they had to do simply because they loved their children.
After lunch, Karlos decided to take a nap on the sofa. The twins were also sleeping on his stomach and chest, finding comfort and warmth.
Around 4 p.m., someone called Karlos's name from outside.
"Hey, Karlos! We are going to Antonio's, are you coming with us?"
Immediately, Karlos opened his eyes.
He found Maya's crimson eyes coldly staring at him.
"Babe, someone's calling me outside," he nervously chuckled.
"...Tch, just don't return late. Don't get too drunk." Maya clicked her tongue. She couldn't really stop Karlos from enjoying drinking sessions with the boys.
"I will, we're just going to Antonio's. Old man Ted might also be there. Remember what happened last night? I have to talk to old man Ted to fix the headboard of the bed," he explained quickly.
"And whose fault was it that it was broken, huh?" Maya blushed and glared at Karlos.
It was embarrassing that the couple had already destroyed the headboard in just one night... a passionate accident.
+++
[This novel has 63 chapters on Patreon.]
Chapter 141
New
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2022
- Messages
- 1,316
Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 141
After being reminded by Maya to take care of himself and not overdrink, Karlos left the house, closing the gate softly.
He found Andres and Brandon waiting for him, standing by the road.
"Where's Jerry?"
"He said he won't come. There was a ruckus in their house, although I don't know the specifics," Brandon answered, scratching his head. He was the closest one to Jerry's house.
"Are Jerry and his family alright?" Karlos was concerned.
"It's nothing big, I think. Jerry didn't explain it, so I went to Andres's first before going to your house."
"Haha, I knew you would come!" Andres laughed, patting Karlos's shoulder. The three men went to Antonio's house, and it seemed that the party was already going on.
Antonio rented a karaoke machine for guests who wanted to sing. There were many delicacies on the table. Naturally, there were also bottles of beer in a huge styrofoam box with ice floating in it, cold enough to satisfy the guests.
"Karlos, Andres, Brandon, you guys showed up! Come, come, let's eat first." Antonio smiled at them. His grin was wide, and he was a little wobbly and tipsy. He invited them to the party.
Many people showed up, even wives and young kids. The food was free, and everyone wanted to take advantage of the situation. The dishes were a mix of meat and fish, making the guests happy. Even Domingo's mother was there, packing food into her plastic bags.
The three men ate, and next to each of them was a bottle of beer. They listened to the loud karaoke music. Unfortunately, once in a while, someone offbeat would sing, making the performance horrifying and causing the crowd to laugh and boo the singer.
"Hey, Karlos, you and Brandon are still working together, right?" Antonio approached them, slightly tipsy. His face was red from alcohol and happiness. One of his dreams was to be a boat captain, and now he had reached that point in his life, a very proud moment. He now owned a commercial trawler boat.
"Yeah, Brandon and I are partners," Karlos answered and chugged his beer, letting out a sigh.
"Well, I thought your partnership was not permanent. I was thinking of hiring Brandon for my team. You know, I need to build a new team for my boat."
"What about your three workers?"
"They are included, of course. But I need more, at least five more people to make a crew. Besides, my second son is interested in fishing, so I also have to look for another team for him. Brandon is a good guy, and I can entrust him to take care of my son. But oh well, it seems like you guys are doing well." Antonio laughed and scratched his neck.
Unlike the others, Antonio knew that Brandon was a nice guy. He saw him growing up. Aside from having crossed eyes, Brandon was a kindhearted person.
"Not a chance." Karlos shook his head. Brandon was a worthy partner.
"Haha, small matter, don't take it seriously. Although I hope that whenever you see my son at sea or at the fish port, please look after him and take care of him."
"Your son is not that young. I'm sure he will be fine and capable."
"Indeed, indeed."
For a father, Antonio wanted his children to grow up healthy and become good people. He also wanted them to stand on their own and become adults.
Antonio thought of inviting his second son to sail with him, but that kid didn't like being bossed around. So they compromised, and Antonio gave the bangka to him instead.
Antonio had four children. The eldest son and the only daughter had already finished college. The daughter was working in the city, while the first son was working in Maynila.
His second son didn't go to college, while his third son, the youngest, was still in high school.
After that short conversation with Antonio, the three men continued drinking. Their laughter grew louder as more alcohol filled their system.
As expected, old man Ted showed up. The carpenter found a seat and opened a bottle using his teeth with ease.
"Old man Ted, mind taking a few minutes of your time?"
"Karlos, are you going to ask about the two beds, perhaps? They are going to be finished tomorrow afternoon. I'm going to deliver them to you."
"About that,"
Karlos explained that the headboard of the bed broke because he slipped while walking to the bed. That was the best excuse he could think of.
"You broke it? For that headboard to break, it must have been a strong impact. Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine. Nothing bad happened."
Strong impact? Nah, it was more than one. The bed was basically rocking like it was under a strong earthquake, like a 9.8 magnitude or something. The memory made Karlos cough lightly.
"I'll fix it tomorrow. Just take it outside the house so that I have a big space to work with. No need to pay me. What you paid me last time is already enough." Being an old man, Ted was grateful that someone still needed his skills.
"But I insist," Karlos answered, sounding firm.
"Alright, just give me a portion of your catch tomorrow. That will do."
Old man Ted had extra material for the headboard, and he could fix it quickly.
"Thanks, old man Ted."
"It's nothing. Now let me enjoy my drink. I rarely have the time to enjoy free alcohol."
Karlos laughed. Old man Ted was right. Free drinks were delicious and tasted better.
He returned to his friends and continued drinking. Just when they thought the party was over, another batch of beer came, and the party went on until midnight.
But of course, Karlos kept his promise. He returned home before 10 p.m.
"Wife~ wife~"
Karlos kept calling for Maya. His steps were shaky but eager. The woman sighed and opened the door for him.
"The children are already sleeping in their crib. You should be quiet," Maya said in a softer tone.
"Hm," Karlos drunkenly nodded, then hugged Maya, wrapping his arms around her.
"You smell so good."
"You smell so bad," Maya replied. Her nose wrinkled. The alcohol was lingering on Karlos, making her frown.
"I prepared something for you to eat and drink. Let's go inside." Maya helped Karlos to the dining table.
+++
[Thank you for reading this novel, you can read more on my Patreon.]
After being reminded by Maya to take care of himself and not overdrink, Karlos left the house, closing the gate softly.
He found Andres and Brandon waiting for him, standing by the road.
"Where's Jerry?"
"He said he won't come. There was a ruckus in their house, although I don't know the specifics," Brandon answered, scratching his head. He was the closest one to Jerry's house.
"Are Jerry and his family alright?" Karlos was concerned.
"It's nothing big, I think. Jerry didn't explain it, so I went to Andres's first before going to your house."
"Haha, I knew you would come!" Andres laughed, patting Karlos's shoulder. The three men went to Antonio's house, and it seemed that the party was already going on.
Antonio rented a karaoke machine for guests who wanted to sing. There were many delicacies on the table. Naturally, there were also bottles of beer in a huge styrofoam box with ice floating in it, cold enough to satisfy the guests.
"Karlos, Andres, Brandon, you guys showed up! Come, come, let's eat first." Antonio smiled at them. His grin was wide, and he was a little wobbly and tipsy. He invited them to the party.
Many people showed up, even wives and young kids. The food was free, and everyone wanted to take advantage of the situation. The dishes were a mix of meat and fish, making the guests happy. Even Domingo's mother was there, packing food into her plastic bags.
The three men ate, and next to each of them was a bottle of beer. They listened to the loud karaoke music. Unfortunately, once in a while, someone offbeat would sing, making the performance horrifying and causing the crowd to laugh and boo the singer.
"Hey, Karlos, you and Brandon are still working together, right?" Antonio approached them, slightly tipsy. His face was red from alcohol and happiness. One of his dreams was to be a boat captain, and now he had reached that point in his life, a very proud moment. He now owned a commercial trawler boat.
"Yeah, Brandon and I are partners," Karlos answered and chugged his beer, letting out a sigh.
"Well, I thought your partnership was not permanent. I was thinking of hiring Brandon for my team. You know, I need to build a new team for my boat."
"What about your three workers?"
"They are included, of course. But I need more, at least five more people to make a crew. Besides, my second son is interested in fishing, so I also have to look for another team for him. Brandon is a good guy, and I can entrust him to take care of my son. But oh well, it seems like you guys are doing well." Antonio laughed and scratched his neck.
Unlike the others, Antonio knew that Brandon was a nice guy. He saw him growing up. Aside from having crossed eyes, Brandon was a kindhearted person.
"Not a chance." Karlos shook his head. Brandon was a worthy partner.
"Haha, small matter, don't take it seriously. Although I hope that whenever you see my son at sea or at the fish port, please look after him and take care of him."
"Your son is not that young. I'm sure he will be fine and capable."
"Indeed, indeed."
For a father, Antonio wanted his children to grow up healthy and become good people. He also wanted them to stand on their own and become adults.
Antonio thought of inviting his second son to sail with him, but that kid didn't like being bossed around. So they compromised, and Antonio gave the bangka to him instead.
Antonio had four children. The eldest son and the only daughter had already finished college. The daughter was working in the city, while the first son was working in Maynila.
His second son didn't go to college, while his third son, the youngest, was still in high school.
After that short conversation with Antonio, the three men continued drinking. Their laughter grew louder as more alcohol filled their system.
As expected, old man Ted showed up. The carpenter found a seat and opened a bottle using his teeth with ease.
"Old man Ted, mind taking a few minutes of your time?"
"Karlos, are you going to ask about the two beds, perhaps? They are going to be finished tomorrow afternoon. I'm going to deliver them to you."
"About that,"
Karlos explained that the headboard of the bed broke because he slipped while walking to the bed. That was the best excuse he could think of.
"You broke it? For that headboard to break, it must have been a strong impact. Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine. Nothing bad happened."
Strong impact? Nah, it was more than one. The bed was basically rocking like it was under a strong earthquake, like a 9.8 magnitude or something. The memory made Karlos cough lightly.
"I'll fix it tomorrow. Just take it outside the house so that I have a big space to work with. No need to pay me. What you paid me last time is already enough." Being an old man, Ted was grateful that someone still needed his skills.
"But I insist," Karlos answered, sounding firm.
"Alright, just give me a portion of your catch tomorrow. That will do."
Old man Ted had extra material for the headboard, and he could fix it quickly.
"Thanks, old man Ted."
"It's nothing. Now let me enjoy my drink. I rarely have the time to enjoy free alcohol."
Karlos laughed. Old man Ted was right. Free drinks were delicious and tasted better.
He returned to his friends and continued drinking. Just when they thought the party was over, another batch of beer came, and the party went on until midnight.
But of course, Karlos kept his promise. He returned home before 10 p.m.
"Wife~ wife~"
Karlos kept calling for Maya. His steps were shaky but eager. The woman sighed and opened the door for him.
"The children are already sleeping in their crib. You should be quiet," Maya said in a softer tone.
"Hm," Karlos drunkenly nodded, then hugged Maya, wrapping his arms around her.
"You smell so good."
"You smell so bad," Maya replied. Her nose wrinkled. The alcohol was lingering on Karlos, making her frown.
"I prepared something for you to eat and drink. Let's go inside." Maya helped Karlos to the dining table.
+++
[Thank you for reading this novel, you can read more on my Patreon.]
Chapter 142
New
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2022
- Messages
- 1,316
Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 142
"Hm, I really love you so much." Karlos kissed her cheek, pressing his lips with drunken sincerity, and Maya accepted it despite smelling the alcohol. He sat at the table and ate the abalones and lobsters that Maya cooked with butter, corn, and chorizo. His eyes lit up with every bite.
"Babe, your dish is delicious, but you're more delicious." Karlos was still drunk, smiling foolishly.
"..."
Maya was speechless and pouted, her cheeks blushing. Karlos was really clingy whenever he was drunk. She liked it, but she also didn't like it. It was complicated.
"Just eat your food." She nudged the plate closer, hiding her fluster.
"Hm," Karlos ate with gusto until he finished. He burped, and his mind improved, enough for him to think straight.
"Let's go to sleep." Maya led him to the bedroom. Karlos had to wake up early tomorrow, so staying up late at night was detrimental, his body needed rest.
"Wife, how about one round?" Now that Karlos had regained his sanity, he kissed Maya's neck, almost licking it. Maya felt her body melting, but she glared at Karlos, trying to remain firm.
"Don't you remember what date it is? No funny business for a week," she said seriously.
"Ah, is that so? That means only the mouth and ass are allowed?" he whispered boldly.
Maya blushed hard and pinched him.
"What are you saying!? You brute! A hooligan!" Her voice cracked in embarrassment.
"Alright, I'm sorry. My fault. Let's go to the room."
When they went inside, the couple first looked at the big crib where Iñigo and Arabella were sleeping peacefully together. They were so cute that their parents unconsciously smiled just by looking at them.
Maya carefully tucked them in, adjusting their blankets and making sure they were sleeping comfortably.
Then, the night ended with Karlos and Maya trying to break the already broken headboard. The bed creaked as their whispered laughter mixed with muffled moans.
.........
......
...
The next day, Karlos and Brandon ended their fishing job around 10 a.m. and earned 48,000 pesos. The two men worked together to carry their equipment.
Just like always, the beach had young kids gambling under the coconut trees. They were waiting for boats to arrive so they could carry the boats onto the beach and then ask for money.
Anyway, Karlos paid them 20 pesos to carry his bangka onto the beach, far from the waves.
Brandon and Karlos then carried the engine together and reached Karlos's house.
Maya opened the door when she heard someone open the gate. She smiled when she saw Karlos.
The two men put the engine under a shed and covered it with a tarpaulin.
"I baked egg pies. Brandon, take three slices for you and your parents," Maya said and went back inside.
"No, that would be..." Before Brandon could refuse, Maya had already gone inside. Karlos chuckled.
"Just take it. My wife is interested in baking lately."
Maya returned outside and gave Brandon a lunch box with three slices of egg pie inside.
"See you tomorrow," Brandon bid farewell, holding the lunch box carefully.
He smiled slightly and greeted the neighbors he passed by. However, when he stepped into their house, he heard his older brother's voice and his wife's.
"Oh, Brandon, you're back. What's that? Egg pie! You bought something for us? Haha, thank you so much!" His older brother, Gary, laughed.
"This is for Mama, Papa, and me," Brandon frowned.
"Is that so? Ma, Pa, can my wife and I get your portion? We rarely have a chance to eat egg pie."
"Go on, eat them." Gomez puffed his cigarette. Carmine also nodded.
"..." Brandon gritted his teeth and gave them the slices reluctantly. The husband and wife held the egg pie in their hands and ate it with satisfaction.
"This is delicious! Brandon, next time bring more," Gary said without shame.
"..."
Brandon didn't answer. After eating his slice, he washed the lunch box as he had to bring it back tomorrow. While washing, he heard their conversation.
"Ma, my son is now a 4th grader, and he needs money to buy books and other school supplies."
"It's just April. They are still on vacation. You guys can save money," Carmine said. She knew that school would start in June.
"We are just planning ahead so that your grandson doesn't have to think about school supplies anymore," Gary's wife replied.
"How much is it?" Gomez could see through their intention, so he went straight to the point.
"5,000 pesos."
"5,000 pesos!? What kind of books are you going to buy? Are they made of gold!?" Carmine was shocked.
A notebook only cost 5 pesos. A pen only cost 3 to 5 pesos, depending on the brand. As for textbooks, the price varied, but the average price was 100 pesos. They were very affordable.
Even Brandon frowned as he listened.
"Well, we are also thinking of buying a brand new bag for him," Gary quickly added.
"Do you really have to buy one? We have a backpack here. Your son can use it," Carmine frowned.
"Ma, you have to understand, kids prefer new things. You don't want your grandson to cry, right?"
"And where is he anyway? Why didn't you bring him? I want to talk to my grandson myself," Gomez slightly raised his voice.
"He wants to enjoy his vacation, and he went out to play with his friends," Gary avoided eye contact.
'Of course you didn't bring your son, he's too young to lie. 5,000 pesos my ass. Even 700 pesos is already enough to buy school supplies,' Brandon thought.
On top of that, he knew his nephew, and that boy didn't like going to school. He often skipped classes.
"We don't have 5,000 pesos. Your mother and I are not working anymore," Gomez shook his head.
Gary then glanced at Brandon, but Brandon kept washing the dishes, pretending to be busy.
"... Well then, how much can you provide for your grandson's education?"
An hour later, Brandon sighed as he stared at his parents.
"So you gave him 1,000 pesos just like that?"
"That's your brother you're talking about," Carmine spoke softly.
"I know, that's why I'm asking you the question."
"It's for the child's education," Gomez answered.
"Alright, I'm not going to say anything. I gave you the money, and it depends on you how you want to spend it. I just hope my sister will not show up later with the same excuse." Brandon stood up and went to his room.
+++
[Thank you for reading this novel.]
"Hm, I really love you so much." Karlos kissed her cheek, pressing his lips with drunken sincerity, and Maya accepted it despite smelling the alcohol. He sat at the table and ate the abalones and lobsters that Maya cooked with butter, corn, and chorizo. His eyes lit up with every bite.
"Babe, your dish is delicious, but you're more delicious." Karlos was still drunk, smiling foolishly.
"..."
Maya was speechless and pouted, her cheeks blushing. Karlos was really clingy whenever he was drunk. She liked it, but she also didn't like it. It was complicated.
"Just eat your food." She nudged the plate closer, hiding her fluster.
"Hm," Karlos ate with gusto until he finished. He burped, and his mind improved, enough for him to think straight.
"Let's go to sleep." Maya led him to the bedroom. Karlos had to wake up early tomorrow, so staying up late at night was detrimental, his body needed rest.
"Wife, how about one round?" Now that Karlos had regained his sanity, he kissed Maya's neck, almost licking it. Maya felt her body melting, but she glared at Karlos, trying to remain firm.
"Don't you remember what date it is? No funny business for a week," she said seriously.
"Ah, is that so? That means only the mouth and ass are allowed?" he whispered boldly.
Maya blushed hard and pinched him.
"What are you saying!? You brute! A hooligan!" Her voice cracked in embarrassment.
"Alright, I'm sorry. My fault. Let's go to the room."
When they went inside, the couple first looked at the big crib where Iñigo and Arabella were sleeping peacefully together. They were so cute that their parents unconsciously smiled just by looking at them.
Maya carefully tucked them in, adjusting their blankets and making sure they were sleeping comfortably.
Then, the night ended with Karlos and Maya trying to break the already broken headboard. The bed creaked as their whispered laughter mixed with muffled moans.
.........
......
...
The next day, Karlos and Brandon ended their fishing job around 10 a.m. and earned 48,000 pesos. The two men worked together to carry their equipment.
Just like always, the beach had young kids gambling under the coconut trees. They were waiting for boats to arrive so they could carry the boats onto the beach and then ask for money.
Anyway, Karlos paid them 20 pesos to carry his bangka onto the beach, far from the waves.
Brandon and Karlos then carried the engine together and reached Karlos's house.
Maya opened the door when she heard someone open the gate. She smiled when she saw Karlos.
The two men put the engine under a shed and covered it with a tarpaulin.
"I baked egg pies. Brandon, take three slices for you and your parents," Maya said and went back inside.
"No, that would be..." Before Brandon could refuse, Maya had already gone inside. Karlos chuckled.
"Just take it. My wife is interested in baking lately."
Maya returned outside and gave Brandon a lunch box with three slices of egg pie inside.
"See you tomorrow," Brandon bid farewell, holding the lunch box carefully.
He smiled slightly and greeted the neighbors he passed by. However, when he stepped into their house, he heard his older brother's voice and his wife's.
"Oh, Brandon, you're back. What's that? Egg pie! You bought something for us? Haha, thank you so much!" His older brother, Gary, laughed.
"This is for Mama, Papa, and me," Brandon frowned.
"Is that so? Ma, Pa, can my wife and I get your portion? We rarely have a chance to eat egg pie."
"Go on, eat them." Gomez puffed his cigarette. Carmine also nodded.
"..." Brandon gritted his teeth and gave them the slices reluctantly. The husband and wife held the egg pie in their hands and ate it with satisfaction.
"This is delicious! Brandon, next time bring more," Gary said without shame.
"..."
Brandon didn't answer. After eating his slice, he washed the lunch box as he had to bring it back tomorrow. While washing, he heard their conversation.
"Ma, my son is now a 4th grader, and he needs money to buy books and other school supplies."
"It's just April. They are still on vacation. You guys can save money," Carmine said. She knew that school would start in June.
"We are just planning ahead so that your grandson doesn't have to think about school supplies anymore," Gary's wife replied.
"How much is it?" Gomez could see through their intention, so he went straight to the point.
"5,000 pesos."
"5,000 pesos!? What kind of books are you going to buy? Are they made of gold!?" Carmine was shocked.
A notebook only cost 5 pesos. A pen only cost 3 to 5 pesos, depending on the brand. As for textbooks, the price varied, but the average price was 100 pesos. They were very affordable.
Even Brandon frowned as he listened.
"Well, we are also thinking of buying a brand new bag for him," Gary quickly added.
"Do you really have to buy one? We have a backpack here. Your son can use it," Carmine frowned.
"Ma, you have to understand, kids prefer new things. You don't want your grandson to cry, right?"
"And where is he anyway? Why didn't you bring him? I want to talk to my grandson myself," Gomez slightly raised his voice.
"He wants to enjoy his vacation, and he went out to play with his friends," Gary avoided eye contact.
'Of course you didn't bring your son, he's too young to lie. 5,000 pesos my ass. Even 700 pesos is already enough to buy school supplies,' Brandon thought.
On top of that, he knew his nephew, and that boy didn't like going to school. He often skipped classes.
"We don't have 5,000 pesos. Your mother and I are not working anymore," Gomez shook his head.
Gary then glanced at Brandon, but Brandon kept washing the dishes, pretending to be busy.
"... Well then, how much can you provide for your grandson's education?"
An hour later, Brandon sighed as he stared at his parents.
"So you gave him 1,000 pesos just like that?"
"That's your brother you're talking about," Carmine spoke softly.
"I know, that's why I'm asking you the question."
"It's for the child's education," Gomez answered.
"Alright, I'm not going to say anything. I gave you the money, and it depends on you how you want to spend it. I just hope my sister will not show up later with the same excuse." Brandon stood up and went to his room.
+++
[Thank you for reading this novel.]
Gaffhook
Getting out there.
- Joined
- May 31, 2025
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- 12
Bing read and love the slice of life with the small and big town intrigue you have going on. Don't forget to take a break even if this only takes you a little bit to write a chapter.
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
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- Messages
- 1,316
Thank you
Chapter 143
New
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2022
- Messages
- 1,316
Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 143
After lunch, Karlos carried the bed frame out of the house and put it under the shed. Maya slightly blushed as she looked at the broken headboard, evidence of their crime... She had no idea how she could endure all of the attacks, yet the headboard couldn't do it... Perhaps she had gained resistance? Considering that she had been with Karlos for three years, perhaps.
Around 2 to 3 pm, Karlos's routine was to take a nap. He had little sleep last night, the hangover was still haunting him, and the throbbing in his head was quite a hassle. The twins also loved taking naps with Karlos, their favorite sleeping spot was his chest and stomach.
As for Maya, she decided to visit Reina's house. She brought four slices of freshly baked egg pie. She wanted to hear their opinions on her dessert, should she add more sugar or not?
Karlos loved her food and so did the twins. But she wanted to hear praise from others, something unbiased. She knew that Karlos was too much in love, and everything she cooked was delicious to him. His compliments always positive. As for the twins, anything sweet was delicious to them, which made them unreliable critics. Their criticism was not enough to determine if her egg pie was good or not.
When she reached Reina's house, Reina's two children opened the door for her and welcomed her warmly. Jenny and Marlon greeted Maya with smiles, especially when they saw that she brought a lunchbox.
"Auntie!"
"Hm." She patted their heads gently. It was the beginning of summer vacation, so Jenny and Marlon were in the house.
"Is your mother here?"
"She's in the kitchen," Marlon said, pointing with excitement, already sniffing the dessert.
"What about your father?"
"Papa is in the fish port," Jenny replied.
Maya's cousin, Andres, was still carrying baskets and pushing carts in the fish port at this hour. It was an exhausting and physically demanding job.
Reina heard that there was a guest, so she left the kitchen.
"Maya, you're here. Let's talk." She invited Maya to the kitchen.
"I brought egg pie."
The children followed Maya, drooling at the dessert she brought, their eyes locked onto the lunchbox. For kids like them, egg pie was almost impossible to eat and was considered a rare treat.
In this era, people who knew how to bake were recognized as professionals. There was no such thing as the internet where people could learn online.
So it was natural that Jenny and Marlon were salivating over the egg pie. Even the bakery in their neighborhood couldn't make egg pies.
"Here, each one of you will have one slice. The remaining are for your mother and father." Maya smiled at Jenny and Marlon. The kids jumped happily and thanked her.
They left the two mothers and let them gossip... Yes, Maya had another reason why she visited Reina. She wanted to hear some juicy gossip. She rarely had moments to escape from the clutches of her toddlers.
Reina was making chicken tocino, and Maya helped her. They cut the chicken breasts into thin slices while Reina told Maya about the recent things that happened on the beachside while Maya was gone for half a year.
"You know what happened to Miguel, right?"
Maya nodded. "When I heard that Miguel was the thief who stole crabs, I was shocked."
"Me too. I didn't expect Miguel to do that. But that's not the biggest story." Reina leaned closer. "Miguel has a girlfriend, and she's the reason Miguel left Gloria. His girlfriend was pregnant, but apparently, he was not the father!"
"Really!? What a story!" Maya was excited, her eyes sparkling. She loved stories like these. Even when she was in college, she loved it when her friends gossiped about other people.
"Aside from Miguel, I also heard some rumors about Jerry's younger brother." Reina mixed the ingredients for the tocino such as lemon, sugar, soy sauce, pepper, and red food coloring.
"You're talking about Bastos?"
"That's right." Reina leaned in and whispered to Maya, glancing left and right. "People saw Bastos visiting the red light district."
Una Town had a fish port and a bay harbor. Thousands of boats from different regions visited the town for many reasons. These fishermen and sailors were mostly men, and they had urges they needed to satisfy.
The red light district was a place where non-locals visited for obvious reasons, such as liquor and companionship.
Of course, even locals visited the red light district. But the citizens of Una Town had no respect for the women who partook in the district's well-known profession. They insulted them openly.
"Huh!? That happened? How old is Bastos?" Maya asked, her mouth falling open in disbelief.
"He turned 18 in January."
"He's still young. Is he really that desperate?"
To make it clear, Maya was 23 years old and still young, but the way she spoke made it look like she was far older than Bastos.
Being a mother made her mature.
"I don't know," Reina shrugged. Even though Una Town had a red light district, people condemned it, so Bastos might also be reprimanded by his parents and older siblings if they knew what he did.
Maya looked at the clock and realized that her husband and two toddlers might be awake now, so she bid farewell, washing her hands and grabbing the empty lunchbox.
"Auntie, the egg pie is delicious. Thank you so much."
"Does it need more sugar or not?" she asked curiously.
"It tastes amazing, I don't think it needs more or less sugar," Jenny answered. "Auntie, if you have more desserts like that, please give us." She licked her lips, her eyes hopeful.
"What are you talking about!? Jenny, that's not how you should talk to your auntie." Reina glared at Jenny, and the girl avoided her gaze.
"It's fine. I'm trying to hone my baking skills and pastry-making. If I bake something delicious, I'll invite you." Maya chuckled, waving off the scolding.
"Yay!"
"Thank you, Maya."
Maya waved her hand and left Reina's house. She was carrying the now-empty lunchbox.
+++
[Author's Note:]
You can read more on my Patreon with:
83 advance chapters of Behind The Spotlight
65 advance chapters of Reincarnated as a Fisherman and Dad
Patreon link: https://www.patreon.com/Puji_makii
After lunch, Karlos carried the bed frame out of the house and put it under the shed. Maya slightly blushed as she looked at the broken headboard, evidence of their crime... She had no idea how she could endure all of the attacks, yet the headboard couldn't do it... Perhaps she had gained resistance? Considering that she had been with Karlos for three years, perhaps.
Around 2 to 3 pm, Karlos's routine was to take a nap. He had little sleep last night, the hangover was still haunting him, and the throbbing in his head was quite a hassle. The twins also loved taking naps with Karlos, their favorite sleeping spot was his chest and stomach.
As for Maya, she decided to visit Reina's house. She brought four slices of freshly baked egg pie. She wanted to hear their opinions on her dessert, should she add more sugar or not?
Karlos loved her food and so did the twins. But she wanted to hear praise from others, something unbiased. She knew that Karlos was too much in love, and everything she cooked was delicious to him. His compliments always positive. As for the twins, anything sweet was delicious to them, which made them unreliable critics. Their criticism was not enough to determine if her egg pie was good or not.
When she reached Reina's house, Reina's two children opened the door for her and welcomed her warmly. Jenny and Marlon greeted Maya with smiles, especially when they saw that she brought a lunchbox.
"Auntie!"
"Hm." She patted their heads gently. It was the beginning of summer vacation, so Jenny and Marlon were in the house.
"Is your mother here?"
"She's in the kitchen," Marlon said, pointing with excitement, already sniffing the dessert.
"What about your father?"
"Papa is in the fish port," Jenny replied.
Maya's cousin, Andres, was still carrying baskets and pushing carts in the fish port at this hour. It was an exhausting and physically demanding job.
Reina heard that there was a guest, so she left the kitchen.
"Maya, you're here. Let's talk." She invited Maya to the kitchen.
"I brought egg pie."
The children followed Maya, drooling at the dessert she brought, their eyes locked onto the lunchbox. For kids like them, egg pie was almost impossible to eat and was considered a rare treat.
In this era, people who knew how to bake were recognized as professionals. There was no such thing as the internet where people could learn online.
So it was natural that Jenny and Marlon were salivating over the egg pie. Even the bakery in their neighborhood couldn't make egg pies.
"Here, each one of you will have one slice. The remaining are for your mother and father." Maya smiled at Jenny and Marlon. The kids jumped happily and thanked her.
They left the two mothers and let them gossip... Yes, Maya had another reason why she visited Reina. She wanted to hear some juicy gossip. She rarely had moments to escape from the clutches of her toddlers.
Reina was making chicken tocino, and Maya helped her. They cut the chicken breasts into thin slices while Reina told Maya about the recent things that happened on the beachside while Maya was gone for half a year.
"You know what happened to Miguel, right?"
Maya nodded. "When I heard that Miguel was the thief who stole crabs, I was shocked."
"Me too. I didn't expect Miguel to do that. But that's not the biggest story." Reina leaned closer. "Miguel has a girlfriend, and she's the reason Miguel left Gloria. His girlfriend was pregnant, but apparently, he was not the father!"
"Really!? What a story!" Maya was excited, her eyes sparkling. She loved stories like these. Even when she was in college, she loved it when her friends gossiped about other people.
"Aside from Miguel, I also heard some rumors about Jerry's younger brother." Reina mixed the ingredients for the tocino such as lemon, sugar, soy sauce, pepper, and red food coloring.
"You're talking about Bastos?"
"That's right." Reina leaned in and whispered to Maya, glancing left and right. "People saw Bastos visiting the red light district."
Una Town had a fish port and a bay harbor. Thousands of boats from different regions visited the town for many reasons. These fishermen and sailors were mostly men, and they had urges they needed to satisfy.
The red light district was a place where non-locals visited for obvious reasons, such as liquor and companionship.
Of course, even locals visited the red light district. But the citizens of Una Town had no respect for the women who partook in the district's well-known profession. They insulted them openly.
"Huh!? That happened? How old is Bastos?" Maya asked, her mouth falling open in disbelief.
"He turned 18 in January."
"He's still young. Is he really that desperate?"
To make it clear, Maya was 23 years old and still young, but the way she spoke made it look like she was far older than Bastos.
Being a mother made her mature.
"I don't know," Reina shrugged. Even though Una Town had a red light district, people condemned it, so Bastos might also be reprimanded by his parents and older siblings if they knew what he did.
Maya looked at the clock and realized that her husband and two toddlers might be awake now, so she bid farewell, washing her hands and grabbing the empty lunchbox.
"Auntie, the egg pie is delicious. Thank you so much."
"Does it need more sugar or not?" she asked curiously.
"It tastes amazing, I don't think it needs more or less sugar," Jenny answered. "Auntie, if you have more desserts like that, please give us." She licked her lips, her eyes hopeful.
"What are you talking about!? Jenny, that's not how you should talk to your auntie." Reina glared at Jenny, and the girl avoided her gaze.
"It's fine. I'm trying to hone my baking skills and pastry-making. If I bake something delicious, I'll invite you." Maya chuckled, waving off the scolding.
"Yay!"
"Thank you, Maya."
Maya waved her hand and left Reina's house. She was carrying the now-empty lunchbox.
+++
[Author's Note:]
You can read more on my Patreon with:
83 advance chapters of Behind The Spotlight
65 advance chapters of Reincarnated as a Fisherman and Dad
Patreon link: https://www.patreon.com/Puji_makii
Chapter 144
New
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2022
- Messages
- 1,316
Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 144
Sure enough, when she went inside the house, she found Karlos playing with the twins. His arms stretched out as he carried them through the air, making an exaggerated whooshing sound. They were playing Superman, where Karlos carried them as if they were flying.
"Mama!"
The twins got excited when they saw their mother. Her presence alone made them happy, she was the center of their little world. Karlos put them down carefully with a soft grunt, stretching his shoulders afterward. His children were indeed getting bigger and heavier than he expected.
They ran up to Maya and hugged her legs, pressing their cheeks against her jeans as if they were claiming their spots.
"Are Reina and her kids doing well?" Karlos asked, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Hm, they are doing well. They also liked the egg pie," Maya answered. Although she sensed that Reina had something she wanted to say, she decided not to talk about it.
"Ma, eww pie!" Arabella pointed at the tall refrigerator, eyes sparkling with expectation. For her, that tall box was a treasure chest full of food. Unfortunately, her little hands couldn't open it, or else she would have every food in the world, or so she thought.
"Eww pie!" Iñigo repeated, copying his sister. He knew that the egg pie was not in the refrigerator but in the oven, which was turned off.
Maya chuckled and entertained them, unable to refuse their cuteness. She lowered herself to their height as she brushed their hair. A single slice of egg pie was enough to satisfy the twins.
A few minutes later, someone called out from the gate and Karlos looked out the window. He confirmed that it was Old Man Ted. The old man and his youngest son, Bong, were carrying a bedframe.
Karlos greeted them and opened the gate, pushing it wide with a friendly nod. They put the bedframe in front of the house.
"We will carry the second bedframe," Old Man Ted said and left the house. Karlos inspected Old Man Ted's carpentry and nodded. It was good, smooth, and sturdy. A few minutes later, they brought another bedframe.
"Let's take these inside," Old Man Ted said to his son.
Karlos led them to the two rooms and placed the bedframes. The twins curiously stared at the old man and his son, peeking from behind Maya. Arabella waved her hand while Iñigo frowned at them, both had different expressions.
"Old Man Ted, I baked an egg pie. Please bring it back before you leave. Just return the lunchbox later," Maya said to them.
"Nah, it's too much. You don't have to. I don't like sweets anyway." Old Man Ted waved his hands and tried to refuse, but Bong accepted the lunchbox, snatching it with eager hands.
"Thank you, Mrs. Alejandro. I will bring the lunchbox later." If Old Man Ted didn't like sweets, then his son loved them. He was smiling from ear to ear.
"Tch, this kid." Old Man Ted clicked his tongue at his son before exiting the house. He went to the shed and looked at the bedframe for the master bedroom, examining the damage closely.
"So the headboard was indeed broken..." The old man didn't expect that the damage would be this bad. He wondered how strong the impact was for the headboard to have almost split in two.
"Bong, bring our spare headboard here," Old Man Ted ordered his son.
While his son was gone, Old Man Ted had a conversation with Karlos.
"How old are you again?"
"I'll be 22 years old next month."
"I see... I can't believe you are already married. You and Bong are the same age." Old Man Ted sighed. The young man in front of him already had a family and a house, yet Bong was still a snotty guy who did nothing but play around.
Both were 21 years old but had different maturity levels. Perhaps it also depended on how a person understood the world, because Karlos had been mature from a young age. He had to, or else he wouldn't adapt to what reality could bring.
In his past life, he once dreamt that his parents would show up one day in his life. But reality was often disappointing.
As for his current life, he once dreamt that his parents would start loving him, but it never happened.
A few minutes later, Bong showed up with the headboard and the empty lunchbox. He gave the lunchbox to Karlos and thanked him, even showing respect.
He subconsciously respected Karlos because the guy had already proved himself. Karlos could stand on his own and live, he deserved respect in Bong's eyes.
Being good at his job, Old Man Ted finished reattaching a new headboard to the bedframe.
"Just be careful next time. This headboard is tougher, but we can't be sure," Old Man Ted said as they carried the bedframe to the master bedroom.
Karlos already paid the old man 4,000 pesos for the three bedframes weeks ago, but he paid another 250 pesos for fixing the headboard. He also gave them a kilogram of abalones. Old Man Ted accepted the pay and thanked the couple.
"... Let's be careful next time." Once Old Man Ted was gone, Maya shyly talked to Karlos about their lovemaking. It would be embarrassing if the bed broke again. A rumor might even circulate that Karlos was a freak in bed... Well, Karlos was indeed a freak in bed.
.........
......
...
A week later, the couple had a housewarming and invited their friends. Karlos actually invited Roman and Larry, but the two were quite busy and unable to attend.
Larry was busy getting revenge on the Patong family. So far, the police found another drug den that the Patong family owned.
Unlike last time, the drug raid was broadcast on the news stations, and there were rumors that the drug den was owned by Governor Lang Patong. The governor obviously denied the allegations, but his name was already tarnished. In the next election, he might have a hard time winning with his reputation damaged.
As for Roman, the wealthy guy was in Maynila and attended many business meetings. His father, Heneral Alejandro, was also talking to Roman about his marriage engagement, pressuring him to start a family. Heneral wanted Roman to expand the business empire through an arranged marriage.
The two wealthy guys couldn't attend, but they delivered gifts for the housewarming, such as a flat-screen TV, electric fans, lamps, and electric kettles. Now the family had two televisions and more appliances. Well, they could put the other appliances in the master bedroom, making it livelier.
Sure enough, when she went inside the house, she found Karlos playing with the twins. His arms stretched out as he carried them through the air, making an exaggerated whooshing sound. They were playing Superman, where Karlos carried them as if they were flying.
"Mama!"
The twins got excited when they saw their mother. Her presence alone made them happy, she was the center of their little world. Karlos put them down carefully with a soft grunt, stretching his shoulders afterward. His children were indeed getting bigger and heavier than he expected.
They ran up to Maya and hugged her legs, pressing their cheeks against her jeans as if they were claiming their spots.
"Are Reina and her kids doing well?" Karlos asked, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Hm, they are doing well. They also liked the egg pie," Maya answered. Although she sensed that Reina had something she wanted to say, she decided not to talk about it.
"Ma, eww pie!" Arabella pointed at the tall refrigerator, eyes sparkling with expectation. For her, that tall box was a treasure chest full of food. Unfortunately, her little hands couldn't open it, or else she would have every food in the world, or so she thought.
"Eww pie!" Iñigo repeated, copying his sister. He knew that the egg pie was not in the refrigerator but in the oven, which was turned off.
Maya chuckled and entertained them, unable to refuse their cuteness. She lowered herself to their height as she brushed their hair. A single slice of egg pie was enough to satisfy the twins.
A few minutes later, someone called out from the gate and Karlos looked out the window. He confirmed that it was Old Man Ted. The old man and his youngest son, Bong, were carrying a bedframe.
Karlos greeted them and opened the gate, pushing it wide with a friendly nod. They put the bedframe in front of the house.
"We will carry the second bedframe," Old Man Ted said and left the house. Karlos inspected Old Man Ted's carpentry and nodded. It was good, smooth, and sturdy. A few minutes later, they brought another bedframe.
"Let's take these inside," Old Man Ted said to his son.
Karlos led them to the two rooms and placed the bedframes. The twins curiously stared at the old man and his son, peeking from behind Maya. Arabella waved her hand while Iñigo frowned at them, both had different expressions.
"Old Man Ted, I baked an egg pie. Please bring it back before you leave. Just return the lunchbox later," Maya said to them.
"Nah, it's too much. You don't have to. I don't like sweets anyway." Old Man Ted waved his hands and tried to refuse, but Bong accepted the lunchbox, snatching it with eager hands.
"Thank you, Mrs. Alejandro. I will bring the lunchbox later." If Old Man Ted didn't like sweets, then his son loved them. He was smiling from ear to ear.
"Tch, this kid." Old Man Ted clicked his tongue at his son before exiting the house. He went to the shed and looked at the bedframe for the master bedroom, examining the damage closely.
"So the headboard was indeed broken..." The old man didn't expect that the damage would be this bad. He wondered how strong the impact was for the headboard to have almost split in two.
"Bong, bring our spare headboard here," Old Man Ted ordered his son.
While his son was gone, Old Man Ted had a conversation with Karlos.
"How old are you again?"
"I'll be 22 years old next month."
"I see... I can't believe you are already married. You and Bong are the same age." Old Man Ted sighed. The young man in front of him already had a family and a house, yet Bong was still a snotty guy who did nothing but play around.
Both were 21 years old but had different maturity levels. Perhaps it also depended on how a person understood the world, because Karlos had been mature from a young age. He had to, or else he wouldn't adapt to what reality could bring.
In his past life, he once dreamt that his parents would show up one day in his life. But reality was often disappointing.
As for his current life, he once dreamt that his parents would start loving him, but it never happened.
A few minutes later, Bong showed up with the headboard and the empty lunchbox. He gave the lunchbox to Karlos and thanked him, even showing respect.
He subconsciously respected Karlos because the guy had already proved himself. Karlos could stand on his own and live, he deserved respect in Bong's eyes.
Being good at his job, Old Man Ted finished reattaching a new headboard to the bedframe.
"Just be careful next time. This headboard is tougher, but we can't be sure," Old Man Ted said as they carried the bedframe to the master bedroom.
Karlos already paid the old man 4,000 pesos for the three bedframes weeks ago, but he paid another 250 pesos for fixing the headboard. He also gave them a kilogram of abalones. Old Man Ted accepted the pay and thanked the couple.
"... Let's be careful next time." Once Old Man Ted was gone, Maya shyly talked to Karlos about their lovemaking. It would be embarrassing if the bed broke again. A rumor might even circulate that Karlos was a freak in bed... Well, Karlos was indeed a freak in bed.
.........
......
...
A week later, the couple had a housewarming and invited their friends. Karlos actually invited Roman and Larry, but the two were quite busy and unable to attend.
Larry was busy getting revenge on the Patong family. So far, the police found another drug den that the Patong family owned.
Unlike last time, the drug raid was broadcast on the news stations, and there were rumors that the drug den was owned by Governor Lang Patong. The governor obviously denied the allegations, but his name was already tarnished. In the next election, he might have a hard time winning with his reputation damaged.
As for Roman, the wealthy guy was in Maynila and attended many business meetings. His father, Heneral Alejandro, was also talking to Roman about his marriage engagement, pressuring him to start a family. Heneral wanted Roman to expand the business empire through an arranged marriage.
The two wealthy guys couldn't attend, but they delivered gifts for the housewarming, such as a flat-screen TV, electric fans, lamps, and electric kettles. Now the family had two televisions and more appliances. Well, they could put the other appliances in the master bedroom, making it livelier.
Chapter 145
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Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 145
Their relatives showed up early, preparing for the celebration and cooking dishes for the party. The house was lively in the morning, almost like a small festival. Joseph and Andres were responsible for the heavy work, while the women prepared the dishes.
Mrs. Wanda and Foster also showed up, bringing fruits in a basket. Mrs. Wanda wanted to help, but Maya said that she was a guest this time and should be treated as such with proper hospitality.
Mrs. Wanda and Foster had no choice but to entertain the energetic twins. The two toddlers were walking and giggling, being followed by the two old people.
Arabella and Iñigo could walk now, which made them more troublesome and naughty.
The housewarming party started, and people who showed up were the ones who attended the twins' first birthday. But of course, everyone in the neighborhood was also invited. The front yard was filled with people going in and out, holding plates piled with food.
The Alejandro family prepared a lot of dishes and made sure every guest could eat to their heart's content. Maya checked the pots every few minutes, making sure there was still food available for late visitors.
The housewarming party was a success. Nothing much happened, just the comforting chaos of the neighborhood, with children running and adults chatting. They technically just had a feeding program, as almost everyone in the neighborhood visited the house to eat, some even returning for seconds. They also greeted and congratulated Karlos and Maya on their new house.
Some were genuinely happy, while others were jealous of their progress.
Just a reminder, not every house on the beachside was poor-looking. Some boat owners had nice houses, even Antonio and Jerry's houses were two-storey homes that looked nice and well maintained.
And now, Karlos's house was part of those nice-looking ones. At least when people looked at their house, no one would think that they were poor.
Last year, the family only lived in a tiny house made of bamboo called a kubo. Yet now, the house looked grand and beautiful with concrete walls and glass windows. Some even expressed envy at the garden that Maya was taking care of, as some plants were already growing.
.........
......
...
"Sir, just sign here." The manager slid the papers forward with an eager smile.
"Alright." Karlos held the pen while checking the details.
"The papers are already done. We will also handle the driver's license." The manager rubbed his hands, smiling at Karlos.
Karlos decided to buy a motorcycle. The dealership let him test-drive it, and they also took care of the registration of the motorcycle, saving him hours of visiting government offices.
On top of that, the dealership also had a driver's examination for new drivers. Karlos passed the exam and was eligible for a license. He just had to pay the dealership 5,000 pesos to handle the papers, on top of paying for the motorcycle.
That would save time, and Karlos didn't mind the additional payment. At least he didn't have to spend time going in and out of the town hall to process the papers. No wonder Joseph recommended this place to him, Joseph clearly knew the shortcuts.
As for the idea that the dealership would scam him out of the registration and the papers, that wouldn't happen. The place had a reputation. The dealership was close to the town hall and had connections to the officers there. Their business was booming because of the benefits and fast processing they offered.
As for the driver's license, he would receive a call to go to the town hall and process it for final verification. Overall, it was worth it.
He spent 60,000 pesos to buy a Hunda TMX 155 cc, a brand-new unit. He received the motorcycle and quickly used it to reach the welding shop that would attach the sidecar to it. As much as he wanted to try riding the motorcycle alone, he knew the purpose for which he bought it. So without waiting, he decided to attach the sidecar, finishing the tasks in a day.
"So Joseph is your brother-in-law? I see, so he introduced you to this shop. Come, come, we will give you a discount." The business owner waved him inside, he smelled business.
Karlos saw the sidecars they made, they personally welded them. There were even welders inside, and sparks were flying around. He obviously chose the sidecar that had a roof so that they would be protected from the rain and the sun. He paid upfront, 15,000 pesos in cash.
Overall, he spent 90,000 pesos today. It was expensive but within the budget. Maya gave him approval to spend 120,000 pesos. Karlos didn't go overboard, and his wallet still had bills remaining.
As expected, he had to leave the motorcycle in the shop as they would attach the sidecar to it. However, Karlos had the key so it wouldn't be stolen. He could take back the tricycle tomorrow after completion.
Karlos found a shop that sold chicken kebabs and bought a box for his family. He then hired a tricycle to take him back to the beachside. All the papers and documents regarding his motorcycle and sidecar were with him.
By the time he returned to the house, it was already afternoon. Arabella and Iñigo were sleeping, so Karlos had to be quiet and not disturb them.
"I'm home."
"Welcome back," Maya smiled at him and hugged him warmly. The couple shared a light kiss, brief but affectionate.
"Did you finish your tasks?" she asked.
"Everything's done. We can get the tricycle tomorrow. Do you want to go with me?" Karlos invited her.
"I have to take care of the kids," she smiled apologetically.
"Come on, it's just a short date."
"A date?"
"Yeah, we can explore the town plaza once we get the tricycle. Reina can take care of the twins, let's just bring them presents as a thank you."
"... Alright."
Indeed, the couple rarely had time to spend with each other. But spoiler alert, they failed to have a date. When they tried to leave the twins at Reina's house, they cried so loudly, and Maya couldn't handle their cries. Her heart ached watching them sad. So the couple brought the twins when they got the tricycle.
[Thank you guys for reading this novel.]
Their relatives showed up early, preparing for the celebration and cooking dishes for the party. The house was lively in the morning, almost like a small festival. Joseph and Andres were responsible for the heavy work, while the women prepared the dishes.
Mrs. Wanda and Foster also showed up, bringing fruits in a basket. Mrs. Wanda wanted to help, but Maya said that she was a guest this time and should be treated as such with proper hospitality.
Mrs. Wanda and Foster had no choice but to entertain the energetic twins. The two toddlers were walking and giggling, being followed by the two old people.
Arabella and Iñigo could walk now, which made them more troublesome and naughty.
The housewarming party started, and people who showed up were the ones who attended the twins' first birthday. But of course, everyone in the neighborhood was also invited. The front yard was filled with people going in and out, holding plates piled with food.
The Alejandro family prepared a lot of dishes and made sure every guest could eat to their heart's content. Maya checked the pots every few minutes, making sure there was still food available for late visitors.
The housewarming party was a success. Nothing much happened, just the comforting chaos of the neighborhood, with children running and adults chatting. They technically just had a feeding program, as almost everyone in the neighborhood visited the house to eat, some even returning for seconds. They also greeted and congratulated Karlos and Maya on their new house.
Some were genuinely happy, while others were jealous of their progress.
Just a reminder, not every house on the beachside was poor-looking. Some boat owners had nice houses, even Antonio and Jerry's houses were two-storey homes that looked nice and well maintained.
And now, Karlos's house was part of those nice-looking ones. At least when people looked at their house, no one would think that they were poor.
Last year, the family only lived in a tiny house made of bamboo called a kubo. Yet now, the house looked grand and beautiful with concrete walls and glass windows. Some even expressed envy at the garden that Maya was taking care of, as some plants were already growing.
.........
......
...
"Sir, just sign here." The manager slid the papers forward with an eager smile.
"Alright." Karlos held the pen while checking the details.
"The papers are already done. We will also handle the driver's license." The manager rubbed his hands, smiling at Karlos.
Karlos decided to buy a motorcycle. The dealership let him test-drive it, and they also took care of the registration of the motorcycle, saving him hours of visiting government offices.
On top of that, the dealership also had a driver's examination for new drivers. Karlos passed the exam and was eligible for a license. He just had to pay the dealership 5,000 pesos to handle the papers, on top of paying for the motorcycle.
That would save time, and Karlos didn't mind the additional payment. At least he didn't have to spend time going in and out of the town hall to process the papers. No wonder Joseph recommended this place to him, Joseph clearly knew the shortcuts.
As for the idea that the dealership would scam him out of the registration and the papers, that wouldn't happen. The place had a reputation. The dealership was close to the town hall and had connections to the officers there. Their business was booming because of the benefits and fast processing they offered.
As for the driver's license, he would receive a call to go to the town hall and process it for final verification. Overall, it was worth it.
He spent 60,000 pesos to buy a Hunda TMX 155 cc, a brand-new unit. He received the motorcycle and quickly used it to reach the welding shop that would attach the sidecar to it. As much as he wanted to try riding the motorcycle alone, he knew the purpose for which he bought it. So without waiting, he decided to attach the sidecar, finishing the tasks in a day.
"So Joseph is your brother-in-law? I see, so he introduced you to this shop. Come, come, we will give you a discount." The business owner waved him inside, he smelled business.
Karlos saw the sidecars they made, they personally welded them. There were even welders inside, and sparks were flying around. He obviously chose the sidecar that had a roof so that they would be protected from the rain and the sun. He paid upfront, 15,000 pesos in cash.
Overall, he spent 90,000 pesos today. It was expensive but within the budget. Maya gave him approval to spend 120,000 pesos. Karlos didn't go overboard, and his wallet still had bills remaining.
As expected, he had to leave the motorcycle in the shop as they would attach the sidecar to it. However, Karlos had the key so it wouldn't be stolen. He could take back the tricycle tomorrow after completion.
Karlos found a shop that sold chicken kebabs and bought a box for his family. He then hired a tricycle to take him back to the beachside. All the papers and documents regarding his motorcycle and sidecar were with him.
By the time he returned to the house, it was already afternoon. Arabella and Iñigo were sleeping, so Karlos had to be quiet and not disturb them.
"I'm home."
"Welcome back," Maya smiled at him and hugged him warmly. The couple shared a light kiss, brief but affectionate.
"Did you finish your tasks?" she asked.
"Everything's done. We can get the tricycle tomorrow. Do you want to go with me?" Karlos invited her.
"I have to take care of the kids," she smiled apologetically.
"Come on, it's just a short date."
"A date?"
"Yeah, we can explore the town plaza once we get the tricycle. Reina can take care of the twins, let's just bring them presents as a thank you."
"... Alright."
Indeed, the couple rarely had time to spend with each other. But spoiler alert, they failed to have a date. When they tried to leave the twins at Reina's house, they cried so loudly, and Maya couldn't handle their cries. Her heart ached watching them sad. So the couple brought the twins when they got the tricycle.
[Thank you guys for reading this novel.]
SomeNormalKid04
Getting sticky.
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2023
- Messages
- 59
Thanks for the chapter 
Chapter 146
New
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
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- Messages
- 1,316
Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 146
"How much was the motorcycle and the sidecar?" Maya asked. Money was always important, especially now that they were parents.
"90,000 pesos. Here's the receipt, the papers, and the remaining money." Karlos put the documents and money on the table. Maya carefully read them and nodded, satisfied with the expenses.
"You sure you can drive a motorcycle?" she asked, giving him a half-teasing grin.
"Of course. Believe in me. I'm that good." Karlos grinned and embraced her with confidence.
"Hm, you're so good." Maya blushed and agreed... although she might have been talking about another topic.
Having transportation was important, as they could travel to places faster without relying on others. Maya felt relieved because they could buy groceries with ease now.
"What did you buy?" she asked, looking at the box.
"Chicken kebab, freshly grilled."
"Looks delicious. It's a good thing I already cooked the rice. We can eat first." Maya opened the box, and the scent of the spices welcomed her. The smell alone made her instantly hungry.
Karlos helped her prepare the table.
Aside from steamed rice, Maya also prepared a vegetable salad and braised grouper, a simple but delicious meal.
When the couple was about to take their first bite, they heard a noise from the sofa, a small rustle. Arabella sat up and wiped her eyes. She sniffed the air, as if her nose had caught a nice smell.
"..." Karlos and Maya were speechless, sharing a look that said, 'of course she woke up now'.
"Is there anyone in your family who has a strong sense of smell?" Karlos asked his wife, trying not to laugh.
"I don't think so." Maya shook her head thoughtfully.
Perhaps Arabella didn't have a strong sense of smell. She was just a glutton who reacted to food.
"Mama..." Arabella sleepily said. "Foohd..." She yawned and stretched her arms like a tiny kitten.
Maya sighed and approached the little girl. "Let's wipe your face first. You have eye boogers." She gently cupped Arabella's cheeks.
"Hm." Arabella nodded and leaned into Maya.
A few seconds later, Iñigo also woke up. He felt the movements of the sofa, and that made him wake up. He frowned at his sister, he woke up because she moved too much.
"My little boy also woke up? Want to eat with us?" Maya asked in a baby voice, wiggling her fingers at him playfully.
Iñigo nodded, already reaching his arms out, wanting to be included.
With that, the couple's short peace ended. They ate quite an early dinner since it was still 4 pm.
Arabella and Iñigo regained their energy and asked their father to play with them. Their mother didn't have the strength or energy to match them, and Karlos was a nice playmate, always willing. The kids knew exactly how to exploit him.
For two hours straight, Karlos had no choice but to act like a monster and roar, following them slowly and dramatically. The kids giggled as Karlos roared cartoonishly and tried to catch them.
"Mohhster! Hihihihi!" Arabella giggled and ran away to the hallway. However, Karlos caught her and carried her to the sofa, swinging her gently.
Iñigo tried to hide under the table, but Karlos roared and caught him, and he also put him on the sofa beside his sister. They kept repeating the same game until the kids grew tired and exhausted.
As for Maya, she had rare moments of rest and used that time to read romance novels. Let their father handle their endless energy, she wasn't going to argue with that arrangement.
"Kids, your Mama and I are going to the town plaza tomorrow. You promise to stay behaved at Auntie Reina's house, alright?" Karlos said to them and squatted down to their eye level.
The twins felt like they understood and, at the same time, did not. Arabella nodded, as she loved playing with her big sister Jenny. Big sister Jenny attended her "tea party" once in a while. Arabella had a complete set of tea party toys, and sometimes she liked playing with them, especially with someone.
Unlike Arabella, Iñigo shook his head firmly. He understood what Karlos said better than his sister. Whenever their parents brought them to Auntie Reina, they would disappear for a long time. For Iñigo, a few hours without seeing his parents was a long time.
"Me, go, with you." It seemed that Iñigo formed a sentence.
"You want to go with us?" Karlos was surprised.
"Hm." Iñigo nodded and hugged Karlos.
"Well, let's talk about it tomorrow." Karlos gently patted him.
.........
......
...
The next day.
Karlos was wearing a baby carrier on his chest, adjusting the straps awkwardly.
"Aww, you really love Mama so much that you want to be with me forever?" Maya talked to her children in a sweet voice, wiping their tears with her thumbs.
Iñigo and Arabella had a meltdown when their parents tried to leave them with Auntie Reina. The couple was wearing something nice, so the children automatically thought that their parents would go somewhere nice and leave them behind.
Such betrayal! Or at least that was how it felt to them.
Naturally, the twins used their greatest weapon, which was their tears. They knew that their parents were weak to their cries, especially Maya, who felt like her heart was getting stabbed whenever her children cried in sadness.
Because of their tactics, the couple had no choice but to take them to the welding shop. Now, Karlos was wearing a baby carrier. This would be the first time he used one, and he looked ridiculous.
A baby carrier is a wearable device that allows a parent to carry a baby hands-free, either on the chest or the back.
"Do I really have to wear this? I can carry them fine," Karlos said. He was not used to it because something was strapped to his chest.
[Thank you guys for reading this novel.]
"How much was the motorcycle and the sidecar?" Maya asked. Money was always important, especially now that they were parents.
"90,000 pesos. Here's the receipt, the papers, and the remaining money." Karlos put the documents and money on the table. Maya carefully read them and nodded, satisfied with the expenses.
"You sure you can drive a motorcycle?" she asked, giving him a half-teasing grin.
"Of course. Believe in me. I'm that good." Karlos grinned and embraced her with confidence.
"Hm, you're so good." Maya blushed and agreed... although she might have been talking about another topic.
Having transportation was important, as they could travel to places faster without relying on others. Maya felt relieved because they could buy groceries with ease now.
"What did you buy?" she asked, looking at the box.
"Chicken kebab, freshly grilled."
"Looks delicious. It's a good thing I already cooked the rice. We can eat first." Maya opened the box, and the scent of the spices welcomed her. The smell alone made her instantly hungry.
Karlos helped her prepare the table.
Aside from steamed rice, Maya also prepared a vegetable salad and braised grouper, a simple but delicious meal.
When the couple was about to take their first bite, they heard a noise from the sofa, a small rustle. Arabella sat up and wiped her eyes. She sniffed the air, as if her nose had caught a nice smell.
"..." Karlos and Maya were speechless, sharing a look that said, 'of course she woke up now'.
"Is there anyone in your family who has a strong sense of smell?" Karlos asked his wife, trying not to laugh.
"I don't think so." Maya shook her head thoughtfully.
Perhaps Arabella didn't have a strong sense of smell. She was just a glutton who reacted to food.
"Mama..." Arabella sleepily said. "Foohd..." She yawned and stretched her arms like a tiny kitten.
Maya sighed and approached the little girl. "Let's wipe your face first. You have eye boogers." She gently cupped Arabella's cheeks.
"Hm." Arabella nodded and leaned into Maya.
A few seconds later, Iñigo also woke up. He felt the movements of the sofa, and that made him wake up. He frowned at his sister, he woke up because she moved too much.
"My little boy also woke up? Want to eat with us?" Maya asked in a baby voice, wiggling her fingers at him playfully.
Iñigo nodded, already reaching his arms out, wanting to be included.
With that, the couple's short peace ended. They ate quite an early dinner since it was still 4 pm.
Arabella and Iñigo regained their energy and asked their father to play with them. Their mother didn't have the strength or energy to match them, and Karlos was a nice playmate, always willing. The kids knew exactly how to exploit him.
For two hours straight, Karlos had no choice but to act like a monster and roar, following them slowly and dramatically. The kids giggled as Karlos roared cartoonishly and tried to catch them.
"Mohhster! Hihihihi!" Arabella giggled and ran away to the hallway. However, Karlos caught her and carried her to the sofa, swinging her gently.
Iñigo tried to hide under the table, but Karlos roared and caught him, and he also put him on the sofa beside his sister. They kept repeating the same game until the kids grew tired and exhausted.
As for Maya, she had rare moments of rest and used that time to read romance novels. Let their father handle their endless energy, she wasn't going to argue with that arrangement.
"Kids, your Mama and I are going to the town plaza tomorrow. You promise to stay behaved at Auntie Reina's house, alright?" Karlos said to them and squatted down to their eye level.
The twins felt like they understood and, at the same time, did not. Arabella nodded, as she loved playing with her big sister Jenny. Big sister Jenny attended her "tea party" once in a while. Arabella had a complete set of tea party toys, and sometimes she liked playing with them, especially with someone.
Unlike Arabella, Iñigo shook his head firmly. He understood what Karlos said better than his sister. Whenever their parents brought them to Auntie Reina, they would disappear for a long time. For Iñigo, a few hours without seeing his parents was a long time.
"Me, go, with you." It seemed that Iñigo formed a sentence.
"You want to go with us?" Karlos was surprised.
"Hm." Iñigo nodded and hugged Karlos.
"Well, let's talk about it tomorrow." Karlos gently patted him.
.........
......
...
The next day.
Karlos was wearing a baby carrier on his chest, adjusting the straps awkwardly.
"Aww, you really love Mama so much that you want to be with me forever?" Maya talked to her children in a sweet voice, wiping their tears with her thumbs.
Iñigo and Arabella had a meltdown when their parents tried to leave them with Auntie Reina. The couple was wearing something nice, so the children automatically thought that their parents would go somewhere nice and leave them behind.
Such betrayal! Or at least that was how it felt to them.
Naturally, the twins used their greatest weapon, which was their tears. They knew that their parents were weak to their cries, especially Maya, who felt like her heart was getting stabbed whenever her children cried in sadness.
Because of their tactics, the couple had no choice but to take them to the welding shop. Now, Karlos was wearing a baby carrier. This would be the first time he used one, and he looked ridiculous.
A baby carrier is a wearable device that allows a parent to carry a baby hands-free, either on the chest or the back.
"Do I really have to wear this? I can carry them fine," Karlos said. He was not used to it because something was strapped to his chest.
[Thank you guys for reading this novel.]
SomeNormalKid04
Getting sticky.
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2023
- Messages
- 59
Thanks for the chapter
Chapter 147
New
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
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- Messages
- 1,316
Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 147
"Can you carry them for a long time? At least let one of them sit in the baby carrier. We should have bought these a year ago," Maya muttered regretfully. She knew how difficult it was to carry the twins.
They had only discovered the baby carrier when they shopped for appliances last month.
"So, which one of you wants to try the baby carrier?" She turned to the kids, playfully challenging them. The twins looked at the piece of cloth strapped to Karlos's chest, their eyes filled with suspicion and curiosity.
They were curious, but the device had straps, and they didn't want to be strapped in, just like when they were in their strollers.
"Arabella, you're the most troublesome one, so you'll have to get strapped into the baby carrier." Maya kissed her baby girl and gently lifted her, then slid her legs into the straps. She knew how to position the baby comfortably since she had read the instructions, and she made sure the buckle was secure and properly fastened.
Arabella was not used to it at first. Her tiny hands touched the cloth as she tested the strange confinement. But when she relaxed, she found that it wasn't that bad. She felt like she was levitating. Karlos didn't have to hold her anymore, which meant his hands were free to do other things.
Arabella was facing forward and could see almost everything around her. She seemed to be having fun, her eyes darting around excitedly.
As for Iñigo, when he realized that being strapped into the baby carrier looked fun, he grew jealous. But Maya was there to carry him, so he didn't feel too sad. He wrapped his arms tightly around her neck, clinging to her. Next time, he would ask his parents to let him use the baby carrier. He wanted to try it too.
The family hired a tricycle parked at the small tricycle station near their neighborhood. After today, they wouldn't have to hire one anymore since they had their own.
By the time they reached the welding shop, it was already 3 pm, and the sun was glaring above them.
"Karlos, right? Here's the tricycle. Inspect it. If there's anything you want to add, just let me know." The shop owner showed the tricycle to the family. It was parked right in front of the shop, quite far from the welding area inside.
Karlos was impressed and inspected the tricycle meticulously. Of course, Arabella also saw what Karlos was seeing since she was in the baby carrier. She babbled excitedly at the brand-new vehicle. It looked nice, almost gleaming under the sunlight.
"We'll take it." Karlos smiled and shook hands with the shop owner.
"Don't forget to recommend our shop to your friends if they want a sidecar," the owner laughed heartily.
"I'll keep that in mind." Karlos nodded, still admiring the vehicle.
He was about to sit on the tricycle when Maya spoke first.
"Let me get Arabella inside. If she's with you, she'll face the wind and might get cold."
"Alright." He stepped aside without hesitation.
Arabella was confused about why her parents were taking her out of the baby carrier. She had been having fun! Although she admitted that being free from the straps was better since she could move freely now.
When Arabella was freed from the baby carrier, Iñigo pointed at it and said, "Mama, me, up, up!"
"Oh sweetie, we can't use the baby carrier now. Papa is going to drive," Maya said, gently stroking his cheek.
Iñigo felt sad, and tears gathered in his eyes, but he tried not to cry. Maya quickly promised that they would buy toys on the way back instead to calm him. Iñigo reluctantly agreed.
They had nothing else to do except take the tricycle home. Karlos and Maya had actually planned to eat at a nice local restaurant, but they decided to postpone it. They knew how difficult it was to move around with kids in their arms, especially since both children were particularly active today.
Iñigo didn't forget about Maya's promise. His eyes eagerly scanned the road. He remembered that there was a toy store near their neighborhood, which he considered his dream house.
"Ma!" He pointed ahead.
"Alright, alright, we'll buy a toy for you. But only one."
"Hm." He accepted the condition.
The tricycle stopped in front of the toy store, and the kids were excited to see so many toys on display. Maya held their hands tightly, knowing they might run off and cause a scene.
"Let me carry Iñigo."
Karlos scooped up his son, and they went inside the store together. Iñigo spotted a big toy car and instantly liked it. Naturally, Karlos bought it. If his son wanted a toy, consider it done, as long as it wasn't dangerous or too expensive.
Iñigo also noticed his sister choosing a toy and he pouted slightly. That was unfair. Arabella had already had fun sitting in the baby carrier, and now she was getting a new toy too?
Karlos could see through his son's feelings. He gently rubbed his head and whispered, "You can choose another toy, but don't show it to your sister. This will be our secret, alright?"
Iñigo's frustration disappeared instantly. He nodded happily. Now he wasn't sad anymore. He chose another toy car with a different design.
When they returned to the beachside, some of their neighbors saw a brand-new tricycle parked in front of Karlos's house. The family stepped out of the tricycle, attracting curious gazes.
"Hey, Karlos, is that tricycle yours?" one of the neighbors asked.
"Yeah, it's mine. We bought one for transportation," Karlos answered. There was no point in hiding it. People would find out anyway.
"Wow." The neighbor whistled.
The neighbors were surprised, but they also expected it. Lately, the Alejandro family had been improving. Just a year ago, they had nothing.
Some neighbors congratulated them, while others looked at them with envy.
Karlos opened the gate and parked the tricycle under the shed.
[Thank you guys for reading this novel.]
"Can you carry them for a long time? At least let one of them sit in the baby carrier. We should have bought these a year ago," Maya muttered regretfully. She knew how difficult it was to carry the twins.
They had only discovered the baby carrier when they shopped for appliances last month.
"So, which one of you wants to try the baby carrier?" She turned to the kids, playfully challenging them. The twins looked at the piece of cloth strapped to Karlos's chest, their eyes filled with suspicion and curiosity.
They were curious, but the device had straps, and they didn't want to be strapped in, just like when they were in their strollers.
"Arabella, you're the most troublesome one, so you'll have to get strapped into the baby carrier." Maya kissed her baby girl and gently lifted her, then slid her legs into the straps. She knew how to position the baby comfortably since she had read the instructions, and she made sure the buckle was secure and properly fastened.
Arabella was not used to it at first. Her tiny hands touched the cloth as she tested the strange confinement. But when she relaxed, she found that it wasn't that bad. She felt like she was levitating. Karlos didn't have to hold her anymore, which meant his hands were free to do other things.
Arabella was facing forward and could see almost everything around her. She seemed to be having fun, her eyes darting around excitedly.
As for Iñigo, when he realized that being strapped into the baby carrier looked fun, he grew jealous. But Maya was there to carry him, so he didn't feel too sad. He wrapped his arms tightly around her neck, clinging to her. Next time, he would ask his parents to let him use the baby carrier. He wanted to try it too.
The family hired a tricycle parked at the small tricycle station near their neighborhood. After today, they wouldn't have to hire one anymore since they had their own.
By the time they reached the welding shop, it was already 3 pm, and the sun was glaring above them.
"Karlos, right? Here's the tricycle. Inspect it. If there's anything you want to add, just let me know." The shop owner showed the tricycle to the family. It was parked right in front of the shop, quite far from the welding area inside.
Karlos was impressed and inspected the tricycle meticulously. Of course, Arabella also saw what Karlos was seeing since she was in the baby carrier. She babbled excitedly at the brand-new vehicle. It looked nice, almost gleaming under the sunlight.
"We'll take it." Karlos smiled and shook hands with the shop owner.
"Don't forget to recommend our shop to your friends if they want a sidecar," the owner laughed heartily.
"I'll keep that in mind." Karlos nodded, still admiring the vehicle.
He was about to sit on the tricycle when Maya spoke first.
"Let me get Arabella inside. If she's with you, she'll face the wind and might get cold."
"Alright." He stepped aside without hesitation.
Arabella was confused about why her parents were taking her out of the baby carrier. She had been having fun! Although she admitted that being free from the straps was better since she could move freely now.
When Arabella was freed from the baby carrier, Iñigo pointed at it and said, "Mama, me, up, up!"
"Oh sweetie, we can't use the baby carrier now. Papa is going to drive," Maya said, gently stroking his cheek.
Iñigo felt sad, and tears gathered in his eyes, but he tried not to cry. Maya quickly promised that they would buy toys on the way back instead to calm him. Iñigo reluctantly agreed.
They had nothing else to do except take the tricycle home. Karlos and Maya had actually planned to eat at a nice local restaurant, but they decided to postpone it. They knew how difficult it was to move around with kids in their arms, especially since both children were particularly active today.
Iñigo didn't forget about Maya's promise. His eyes eagerly scanned the road. He remembered that there was a toy store near their neighborhood, which he considered his dream house.
"Ma!" He pointed ahead.
"Alright, alright, we'll buy a toy for you. But only one."
"Hm." He accepted the condition.
The tricycle stopped in front of the toy store, and the kids were excited to see so many toys on display. Maya held their hands tightly, knowing they might run off and cause a scene.
"Let me carry Iñigo."
Karlos scooped up his son, and they went inside the store together. Iñigo spotted a big toy car and instantly liked it. Naturally, Karlos bought it. If his son wanted a toy, consider it done, as long as it wasn't dangerous or too expensive.
Iñigo also noticed his sister choosing a toy and he pouted slightly. That was unfair. Arabella had already had fun sitting in the baby carrier, and now she was getting a new toy too?
Karlos could see through his son's feelings. He gently rubbed his head and whispered, "You can choose another toy, but don't show it to your sister. This will be our secret, alright?"
Iñigo's frustration disappeared instantly. He nodded happily. Now he wasn't sad anymore. He chose another toy car with a different design.
When they returned to the beachside, some of their neighbors saw a brand-new tricycle parked in front of Karlos's house. The family stepped out of the tricycle, attracting curious gazes.
"Hey, Karlos, is that tricycle yours?" one of the neighbors asked.
"Yeah, it's mine. We bought one for transportation," Karlos answered. There was no point in hiding it. People would find out anyway.
"Wow." The neighbor whistled.
The neighbors were surprised, but they also expected it. Lately, the Alejandro family had been improving. Just a year ago, they had nothing.
Some neighbors congratulated them, while others looked at them with envy.
Karlos opened the gate and parked the tricycle under the shed.
[Thank you guys for reading this novel.]
SomeNormalKid04
Getting sticky.
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2023
- Messages
- 59
Thanks for the chapter
SomeNormalKid04
Getting sticky.
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2023
- Messages
- 59
Thanks for the chapter
Chapter 148
New
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2022
- Messages
- 1,316
Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 148
"Huh? Brandon, look at the sky." Karlos frowned as he stared at the eastern horizon.
Brandon also looked up, shielding his eyes from the glare of the sun. Dark clouds were forming in the east.
"Those look like heavy clouds. Earlier, the sky was clear, and there wasn't a single cloud. Even the stars were shining when we sailed earlier." His voice was filled with concern.
The two were picking abalones on a small island. It was still 8 a.m., and their containers were half-filled, a decent harvest, but not their best.
Karlos narrowed his gaze. If he understood their location correctly, the small island was southwest of the town, albeit kilometers away from town.
The dark clouds were coming from the east, which meant it might already be raining in their town.
"Brandon, I think we need to head back. Let's stop," Karlos said seriously.
"... Alright." Brandon agreed and quickly packed his tools. He knew better. The biggest enemy of fishermen was the weather, and unexpected rain was one of the most troublesome threats.
The two carried their containers, lighter than their usual harvest.
"If we stay on the island, we might get stranded until night. If that happens, we'll have to sleep with the sea snakes..." Karlos muttered grimly.
"Don't jinx it."
They sailed back toward town immediately. Even the waves were steadily growing stronger. Karlos navigated the sea at a fast yet steady speed. Fortunately, the rain only began to fall when they were closer to the shoreline. Just like them, other boats rapidly appeared on the beach one after another.
No fisherman wanted to remain in the middle of the sea when a storm was brewing. Even heavy rain was considered dangerous at sea.
"What about our catch?" Brandon glanced at the abalones and lobsters.
"We'll use my tricycle to sell them in the port," Karlos answered.
They didn't want to risk using the boat to get to the fish port when the rain was already pouring.
The two carried the boat farther from the beach, and Karlos securely chained it to a coconut tree. Then they carried their belongings to Karlos's house. The containers were quite heavy, as there were still lobsters and abalones inside.
"You're back." Maya sighed in relief when she saw Karlos.
"Babe, we'll use the tricycle to sell our catch."
The two men were already soaked by the rain.
"Alright. Here's a thermos and two cups. Drink hot water on the way." Maya quickly returned to the kitchen and handed them the thermos and cups.
Karlos started the tricycle. The containers were already loaded, and Brandon went in as well to make sure they wouldn't fall off while driving.
The road ahead was wet, and their vision was partially obscured by the rain. Karlos carefully drove.
By the time they reached the fish port, half an hour had passed. It was already 9:30 a.m.
Like them, other fishermen also used tricycles and various vehicles to sell their catch at the port. The rain intensified, and the waves looked rougher as they glanced toward the sea.
"Karlos, I was wondering when you'd show up."
Joseph stepped on his cigarette to extinguish the flame before tossing it into a nearby trash can.
"We headed back immediately when we saw the dark clouds."
Most fishermen always checked the weather forecast to ensure their safety from rain or storms. The weather report the night before had stated there wouldn't be any rain...
"Let's see what you've got. My clients are interested in abalones and lobsters today."
"You're going to deliver in this weather?"
"Rain isn't enough to stop people from eating seafood. Besides, it's not really a storm, just heavy rain. My truck can handle this weather."
"What if the road gets flooded?" Brandon asked.
"I can take a detour. And if I get stuck, I can just sleep in my truck. I've got food there. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Karlos looked around the fish port. Indeed, even though it was raining, buyers and middlemen were still actively purchasing fish. Business continued because everyone needed to earn money.
Karlos sold the lobsters and abalones to Joseph. They earned 32,000 pesos today since they had harvested only half of their usual amount.
Still, the two men were satisfied with what they earned. There was no reason to be disappointed, their daily income had consistently been good.
The porters carried the catch to Joseph's truck. Like the middlemen, the porters had no reason to stop working despite the bad weather. They also had to make a living.
Karlos and Brandon found a clean spot at the fish port and decided to drink hot water and eat biscuit crackers. They munched on the dry biscuits, sipping in between. The warmth settled in their stomachs.
"Here's your share."
5% + 500 pesos.
Brandon received 2,100 pesos today. He grinned widely. From January to April, he had actually saved about half a million pesos. He made sure to keep his bank account a secret, even from his parents. He loved his mother, but he knew that Carmine would definitely brag about his money to their neighbors if she found out. His mother was a talkative gossip.
Half a million pesos. Brandon still couldn't believe he had earned that much. He had thought about buying a boat of his own, but he was conflicted. Then he considered saving for a house instead... or perhaps finding a way to cure his crossed eyes.
He had visited a doctor, an ophthalmologist. He was devastated when he learned that crossed eyes should be treated at a young age. It would be difficult to correct them in adulthood.
Brandon's family had been too poor to even consider taking him to the hospital when he was a child. And now that he finally had money, the doctor said his only option was surgery, but it wouldn't have a 100% success rate. His eyes could even be severely affected if the surgery failed.
Naturally, Brandon was scared. After that visit, he felt like there was no hope for his crossed eyes anymore.
In the first place, he hadn't even known that crossed eyes needed to be treated early. They were just people in a small town, and education and information were not easy to access in the 80s and even in 2000s. Some people believed in superstition instead of science. Brandon also lacked education, as he hadn't even finished elementary school.
[Thank you guys for reading this novel.]
"Huh? Brandon, look at the sky." Karlos frowned as he stared at the eastern horizon.
Brandon also looked up, shielding his eyes from the glare of the sun. Dark clouds were forming in the east.
"Those look like heavy clouds. Earlier, the sky was clear, and there wasn't a single cloud. Even the stars were shining when we sailed earlier." His voice was filled with concern.
The two were picking abalones on a small island. It was still 8 a.m., and their containers were half-filled, a decent harvest, but not their best.
Karlos narrowed his gaze. If he understood their location correctly, the small island was southwest of the town, albeit kilometers away from town.
The dark clouds were coming from the east, which meant it might already be raining in their town.
"Brandon, I think we need to head back. Let's stop," Karlos said seriously.
"... Alright." Brandon agreed and quickly packed his tools. He knew better. The biggest enemy of fishermen was the weather, and unexpected rain was one of the most troublesome threats.
The two carried their containers, lighter than their usual harvest.
"If we stay on the island, we might get stranded until night. If that happens, we'll have to sleep with the sea snakes..." Karlos muttered grimly.
"Don't jinx it."
They sailed back toward town immediately. Even the waves were steadily growing stronger. Karlos navigated the sea at a fast yet steady speed. Fortunately, the rain only began to fall when they were closer to the shoreline. Just like them, other boats rapidly appeared on the beach one after another.
No fisherman wanted to remain in the middle of the sea when a storm was brewing. Even heavy rain was considered dangerous at sea.
"What about our catch?" Brandon glanced at the abalones and lobsters.
"We'll use my tricycle to sell them in the port," Karlos answered.
They didn't want to risk using the boat to get to the fish port when the rain was already pouring.
The two carried the boat farther from the beach, and Karlos securely chained it to a coconut tree. Then they carried their belongings to Karlos's house. The containers were quite heavy, as there were still lobsters and abalones inside.
"You're back." Maya sighed in relief when she saw Karlos.
"Babe, we'll use the tricycle to sell our catch."
The two men were already soaked by the rain.
"Alright. Here's a thermos and two cups. Drink hot water on the way." Maya quickly returned to the kitchen and handed them the thermos and cups.
Karlos started the tricycle. The containers were already loaded, and Brandon went in as well to make sure they wouldn't fall off while driving.
The road ahead was wet, and their vision was partially obscured by the rain. Karlos carefully drove.
By the time they reached the fish port, half an hour had passed. It was already 9:30 a.m.
Like them, other fishermen also used tricycles and various vehicles to sell their catch at the port. The rain intensified, and the waves looked rougher as they glanced toward the sea.
"Karlos, I was wondering when you'd show up."
Joseph stepped on his cigarette to extinguish the flame before tossing it into a nearby trash can.
"We headed back immediately when we saw the dark clouds."
Most fishermen always checked the weather forecast to ensure their safety from rain or storms. The weather report the night before had stated there wouldn't be any rain...
"Let's see what you've got. My clients are interested in abalones and lobsters today."
"You're going to deliver in this weather?"
"Rain isn't enough to stop people from eating seafood. Besides, it's not really a storm, just heavy rain. My truck can handle this weather."
"What if the road gets flooded?" Brandon asked.
"I can take a detour. And if I get stuck, I can just sleep in my truck. I've got food there. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Karlos looked around the fish port. Indeed, even though it was raining, buyers and middlemen were still actively purchasing fish. Business continued because everyone needed to earn money.
Karlos sold the lobsters and abalones to Joseph. They earned 32,000 pesos today since they had harvested only half of their usual amount.
Still, the two men were satisfied with what they earned. There was no reason to be disappointed, their daily income had consistently been good.
The porters carried the catch to Joseph's truck. Like the middlemen, the porters had no reason to stop working despite the bad weather. They also had to make a living.
Karlos and Brandon found a clean spot at the fish port and decided to drink hot water and eat biscuit crackers. They munched on the dry biscuits, sipping in between. The warmth settled in their stomachs.
"Here's your share."
5% + 500 pesos.
Brandon received 2,100 pesos today. He grinned widely. From January to April, he had actually saved about half a million pesos. He made sure to keep his bank account a secret, even from his parents. He loved his mother, but he knew that Carmine would definitely brag about his money to their neighbors if she found out. His mother was a talkative gossip.
Half a million pesos. Brandon still couldn't believe he had earned that much. He had thought about buying a boat of his own, but he was conflicted. Then he considered saving for a house instead... or perhaps finding a way to cure his crossed eyes.
He had visited a doctor, an ophthalmologist. He was devastated when he learned that crossed eyes should be treated at a young age. It would be difficult to correct them in adulthood.
Brandon's family had been too poor to even consider taking him to the hospital when he was a child. And now that he finally had money, the doctor said his only option was surgery, but it wouldn't have a 100% success rate. His eyes could even be severely affected if the surgery failed.
Naturally, Brandon was scared. After that visit, he felt like there was no hope for his crossed eyes anymore.
In the first place, he hadn't even known that crossed eyes needed to be treated early. They were just people in a small town, and education and information were not easy to access in the 80s and even in 2000s. Some people believed in superstition instead of science. Brandon also lacked education, as he hadn't even finished elementary school.
[Thank you guys for reading this novel.]
SomeNormalKid04
Getting sticky.
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2023
- Messages
- 59
Tftc
Chapter 149
New
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2022
- Messages
- 1,316
Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 149
"Let's go. I'll stop by your house."
Brandon's thoughts paused when Karlos stood up. Brandon put his earnings in a plastic bag and then slipped it into his pocket before following Karlos to the parking lot. They were already soaked, so they didn't bother avoiding the rain. They walked through the rain toward the parking area.
Karlos started the tricycle, and they left the fish port. He remembered the route to the beachside and carefully drove until they reached Brandon's house, then slowed down. Brandon thanked Karlos.
"I'll text you later if we are going to sail tomorrow," Karlos said before leaving, though both of them knew the weather might not allow it.
A few minutes later, Karlos returned home, raindrops rolling down his clothes.
"Change your clothes first. I prepared a chocolate drink for you."
Maya didn't want him to get cold, so she prepared things to keep him warm.
"Hm." Karlos nodded and went to the bedroom. The tiles became wet as he stepped on them. The children tried to follow him, wanting to welcome him with a hug, but Maya stopped them.
"Don't approach your Papa. Wait for him to change his clothes," Maya said, her tone gentle but firm.
She also made sure they wouldn't step on the wet tiles, as they might slip and get injured. She wiped the floor with a dry cloth to prevent slipping.
When Karlos returned after changing his clothes, his hot chocolate had cooled to warm, perfect for drinking. Breakfast was also prepared for him, and it smelled delicious.
Karlos grinned and looked at Maya. "Babe, I'm really lucky to have someone like you. I love you so much."
"Oh, so because I prepared food for you, you love me?" Maya raised her brow, pretending to be offended, though her lips curved upward.
"I mean, it's one of the reasons why I love you."
'So food is the answer, huh?' Maya thought. 'Are men really this easy to satisfy?' She tried to suppress her laughter.
"What if I don't cook tomorrow?"
"I will still love you. Heck, I'll be the one to cook if you want me to."
"You're smooth," Maya smirked.
"Of course. I'm the man you chose."
Karlos started eating... but as usual, a little glutton climbed onto his leg, asking for food. Her tiny hands grabbed his shorts for support.
"Arabella, Mama fed you earlier," Maya sighed at her daughter.
"Mowe foohd." Arabella laughed and showed an adorable expression, convincing Karlos to feed her.
"How about you, Iñigo? Do you want to eat too?" Karlos glanced at his son.
Iñigo shook his head. He was already full. He was different from Arabella, who seemed to have a black hole in her stomach.
"Chowo." Instead, he pointed at the warm chocolate that Karlos still hadn't drunk.
"That's for your Papa," Maya said to Iñigo, though she already knew what would happen next.
"It's alright. Here, hold the cup well. Don't drop it." The chocolate was already warm, and Iñigo could drink it without a problem. As the twins grew, they could hold things without dropping them, their coordination improving day by day. Their hands finally had enough grip strength.
Maya sighed. She had prepared the chocolate and breakfast for Karlos, yet the kids ate them again, as always.
Karlos had no problem giving his food to his children. If he had to starve just to make sure the children were full, he would gladly do so. His fatherly instincts always placed them above himself. He was a father, and he understood his priorities well.
After eating the remaining dishes the children liked the least, such as rice and vegetables, Karlos felt full.
The rain intensified outside, and the drumming of water on their roof was endless.
"I'll check if there's a leak."
Now that they were in the new house, Karlos wanted to test its quality. The biggest reason they built the house was to have a safe place against the elements, especially the rain.
He visited each room one by one and felt satisfied when he confirmed that neither the roof nor the ceiling leaked. It meant the house was in good condition, solid and dependable, just as he had hoped.
He returned to the living room, where the family was watching a TV program. It was a noontime game show, but because of the rain, the signal was slightly poor, with occasional static lines.
He sat down beside Maya and the kids. It didn't take long before he fell asleep. The exhaustion from sailing earlier finally caught up to him.
When he woke up, the rain still hadn't stopped.
"It seems this rain will last until tomorrow," he muttered.
The weather report had said it might be heavy rain.
Karlos found his cellphone and contacted Brandon. They had no work tomorrow, as sailing in this weather would be outright suicide.
He then glanced at the twins, his children were playing with their toys. They talked to the toys as if they were alive. The family had watched a movie called Toy Story, and the twins believed toys were secretly alive. Since then, they talked to and played with them all the time.
He then looked toward the kitchen and saw his wife preparing dinner. He stood up and helped her, unable to just sit still.
"Let me handle the cooking."
"Okay." Maya giggled and kissed his cheek. "Most of the ingredients are already prepared and cut. You just need to cook them."
"What do you want me to make with these ingredients?"
"Eggplant omelet and buttered shrimp," Maya answered.
"No wonder there are roasted eggplants."
"Hm, I'll look after the children."
Maya left the kitchen. She glanced at her husband, who had already started cooking, and sighed.
Karlos was the type who couldn't stay calm without doing anything productive. He always wanted to stay busy, as if resting too long made him uneasy. Maya wanted him to relax and rest, but aside from his afternoon nap, Karlos was always working.
Maya sat beside her twins, who were playing with their stuffed toys and dolls. Despite the heavy rain outside, their house felt peaceful and safe. The money they spent to build the house was definitely worth it. At least they no longer had to worry about the weather, no more leaking roofs.
"Mama, pway?" Arabella asked and handed a Barbie doll to her.
"Oh, you want me to play with you, sweetie?" Maya smiled at her daughter, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.
"Hm." Arabella nodded.
"So, what is the role of this Barbie?" Maya looked at the doll Arabella had given her, waiting for instructions.
"Mama."
"This is me?"
"Hm."
"What does Mama have to do?"
"Pway with me."
Maya played along with her daughter while Iñigo crashed his toy car into his stuffed toys like bowling pins, making vroom-vroom sounds.
[Author's Note:]
You can read more on my Patreon with:
85 advance chapters of Behind The Spotlight
67 advance chapters of Reincarnated as a Fisherman and Dad
Patreon link: https://www.patreon.com/Puji_makii
"Let's go. I'll stop by your house."
Brandon's thoughts paused when Karlos stood up. Brandon put his earnings in a plastic bag and then slipped it into his pocket before following Karlos to the parking lot. They were already soaked, so they didn't bother avoiding the rain. They walked through the rain toward the parking area.
Karlos started the tricycle, and they left the fish port. He remembered the route to the beachside and carefully drove until they reached Brandon's house, then slowed down. Brandon thanked Karlos.
"I'll text you later if we are going to sail tomorrow," Karlos said before leaving, though both of them knew the weather might not allow it.
A few minutes later, Karlos returned home, raindrops rolling down his clothes.
"Change your clothes first. I prepared a chocolate drink for you."
Maya didn't want him to get cold, so she prepared things to keep him warm.
"Hm." Karlos nodded and went to the bedroom. The tiles became wet as he stepped on them. The children tried to follow him, wanting to welcome him with a hug, but Maya stopped them.
"Don't approach your Papa. Wait for him to change his clothes," Maya said, her tone gentle but firm.
She also made sure they wouldn't step on the wet tiles, as they might slip and get injured. She wiped the floor with a dry cloth to prevent slipping.
When Karlos returned after changing his clothes, his hot chocolate had cooled to warm, perfect for drinking. Breakfast was also prepared for him, and it smelled delicious.
Karlos grinned and looked at Maya. "Babe, I'm really lucky to have someone like you. I love you so much."
"Oh, so because I prepared food for you, you love me?" Maya raised her brow, pretending to be offended, though her lips curved upward.
"I mean, it's one of the reasons why I love you."
'So food is the answer, huh?' Maya thought. 'Are men really this easy to satisfy?' She tried to suppress her laughter.
"What if I don't cook tomorrow?"
"I will still love you. Heck, I'll be the one to cook if you want me to."
"You're smooth," Maya smirked.
"Of course. I'm the man you chose."
Karlos started eating... but as usual, a little glutton climbed onto his leg, asking for food. Her tiny hands grabbed his shorts for support.
"Arabella, Mama fed you earlier," Maya sighed at her daughter.
"Mowe foohd." Arabella laughed and showed an adorable expression, convincing Karlos to feed her.
"How about you, Iñigo? Do you want to eat too?" Karlos glanced at his son.
Iñigo shook his head. He was already full. He was different from Arabella, who seemed to have a black hole in her stomach.
"Chowo." Instead, he pointed at the warm chocolate that Karlos still hadn't drunk.
"That's for your Papa," Maya said to Iñigo, though she already knew what would happen next.
"It's alright. Here, hold the cup well. Don't drop it." The chocolate was already warm, and Iñigo could drink it without a problem. As the twins grew, they could hold things without dropping them, their coordination improving day by day. Their hands finally had enough grip strength.
Maya sighed. She had prepared the chocolate and breakfast for Karlos, yet the kids ate them again, as always.
Karlos had no problem giving his food to his children. If he had to starve just to make sure the children were full, he would gladly do so. His fatherly instincts always placed them above himself. He was a father, and he understood his priorities well.
After eating the remaining dishes the children liked the least, such as rice and vegetables, Karlos felt full.
The rain intensified outside, and the drumming of water on their roof was endless.
"I'll check if there's a leak."
Now that they were in the new house, Karlos wanted to test its quality. The biggest reason they built the house was to have a safe place against the elements, especially the rain.
He visited each room one by one and felt satisfied when he confirmed that neither the roof nor the ceiling leaked. It meant the house was in good condition, solid and dependable, just as he had hoped.
He returned to the living room, where the family was watching a TV program. It was a noontime game show, but because of the rain, the signal was slightly poor, with occasional static lines.
He sat down beside Maya and the kids. It didn't take long before he fell asleep. The exhaustion from sailing earlier finally caught up to him.
When he woke up, the rain still hadn't stopped.
"It seems this rain will last until tomorrow," he muttered.
The weather report had said it might be heavy rain.
Karlos found his cellphone and contacted Brandon. They had no work tomorrow, as sailing in this weather would be outright suicide.
He then glanced at the twins, his children were playing with their toys. They talked to the toys as if they were alive. The family had watched a movie called Toy Story, and the twins believed toys were secretly alive. Since then, they talked to and played with them all the time.
He then looked toward the kitchen and saw his wife preparing dinner. He stood up and helped her, unable to just sit still.
"Let me handle the cooking."
"Okay." Maya giggled and kissed his cheek. "Most of the ingredients are already prepared and cut. You just need to cook them."
"What do you want me to make with these ingredients?"
"Eggplant omelet and buttered shrimp," Maya answered.
"No wonder there are roasted eggplants."
"Hm, I'll look after the children."
Maya left the kitchen. She glanced at her husband, who had already started cooking, and sighed.
Karlos was the type who couldn't stay calm without doing anything productive. He always wanted to stay busy, as if resting too long made him uneasy. Maya wanted him to relax and rest, but aside from his afternoon nap, Karlos was always working.
Maya sat beside her twins, who were playing with their stuffed toys and dolls. Despite the heavy rain outside, their house felt peaceful and safe. The money they spent to build the house was definitely worth it. At least they no longer had to worry about the weather, no more leaking roofs.
"Mama, pway?" Arabella asked and handed a Barbie doll to her.
"Oh, you want me to play with you, sweetie?" Maya smiled at her daughter, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.
"Hm." Arabella nodded.
"So, what is the role of this Barbie?" Maya looked at the doll Arabella had given her, waiting for instructions.
"Mama."
"This is me?"
"Hm."
"What does Mama have to do?"
"Pway with me."
Maya played along with her daughter while Iñigo crashed his toy car into his stuffed toys like bowling pins, making vroom-vroom sounds.
[Author's Note:]
You can read more on my Patreon with:
85 advance chapters of Behind The Spotlight
67 advance chapters of Reincarnated as a Fisherman and Dad
Patreon link: https://www.patreon.com/Puji_makii
Chapter 150
New
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2022
- Messages
- 1,316
Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 150
"The meal's ready, let's eat," Karlos announced, and the three looked at him. Maya understood what Karlos said, while the twins were simply waiting for movement from the kitchen as their cue.
Karlos brought the dishes to the table while Maya carried the children to their respective baby chairs. The chairs were highly elevated and had straps to make sure they wouldn't fall.
In between bites, the parents had to feed their respective children.
"Arabella, stop drooling. Here, let me wipe your mouth," Maya said to her clearly hungry daughter, gently dabbing her lips with a small towel.
This was their usual dinner routine. If the food was hot, the parents had to blow on it first to cool it down for the twins.
With the tv signal getting worse because of the weather, the family decided to watch a movie after dinner since the television channels were full of static and interruptions. Around this time, Karlos received a text message from Brandon saying, "Okay, it seems like I can wake up late tomorrow."
They agreed that there wouldn't be any work tomorrow.
"You want to watch this again? But you already watched it like 20 times." The twins were pointing at the cartoon movie titled Toys Story.
As their mother, Maya had also watched the movie countless times with them. She might have memorized every line at this point.
"Do you even understand what the toys are saying?"
Arabella nodded, while Iñigo frowned and shook his head, clearly more honest about his confusion.
It seemed like someone was lying. Toys Story was in English, and the kids surely didn't understand it. They could barely form full sentences themselves.
Iñigo looked at Arabella with mild disgust. He believed his sister was lying. How could she understand the toys?
Arabella pointed at her Barbie doll and said, "Toys want to pway with kwids."
"Well, how about this movie? You guys still haven't watched this one. It seems interesting." Maya pointed at a romance movie, trying to convince her children.
The twins curiously looked at the cover picture of the videotape, which showed a couple smiling at each other.
The children shook their heads. They saw these kinds of moments from their parents every day. What they wanted to watch were cartoons, the colorful ones.
"What about you, babe?" Maya asked her husband.
Karlos was sitting on the sofa, relaxing. He was sipping hot chocolate that Maya had made for him. The earlier cup had been taken by Iñigo. Maya wanted him to at least taste the hot chocolate once as a small gesture of appreciation.
"Me? I want to watch action movies like Rambo or Terminator."
"... Never mind, I shouldn't have asked you." She already knew their tastes rarely aligned when it came to movies.
In the end, to keep peace in the family, the children won. However, the movie they picked was not Toys Story but Bug's Life. Maya wanted something different, and they hadn't watched Bug's Life yet.
Their living room had a complete VHS setup, television, and sound system for a better viewing experience, a small luxury Karlos had proudly invested in.
Even though the movie was meant for children, Karlos and Maya admitted it wasn't bad. They even laughed at the jokes, unlike the twins, who didn't understand English. The children simply enjoyed the colorful visuals and lively characters.
Because of the movie, the twins concluded that grasshoppers were bad while ants were good. However, they didn't like ants in real life because ants bit them, so it was slightly confusing.
.........
......
...
The next day, the rain was still present, but it wasn't as strong anymore. The family stayed inside the house the whole time. They had everything they needed, food, electricity, water, and entertainment to pass the time.
The rain outside couldn't bother them.
By afternoon, the rain had completely stopped. Karlos texted Brandon that tomorrow's work might resume, but they still needed to assess the weather. Brandon replied and agreed.
.........
......
...
The next day, very early in the morning, before the sun had risen, many men began preparing for work.
Fishermen first looked at the sky and grinned when they saw the stars, indicating that there were no clouds.
Then they went to the shore to observe the waves. As expected, the waves were normal.
Karlos and Brandon headed to their boat, greeting other fishermen along the way.
They started the boat and journeyed toward the small island. They confirmed that the waves were not dangerous and that they were free to work. Brandon was happy, and so was Karlos.
However, when they reached the island, they realized that their traps had been washed away by the waves. The floaters were no longer in their usual positions.
Most of the time, traps only drifted a few meters from their original spots, but it was different after a storm or strong waves.
"Looks like we have to search around."
They both turned on their flashlights to look for anything floating on the water, especially styrofoam with paint, the floaters of their traps.
One by one, they found every trap, which was fortunate.
"This one is stuck." Brandon tried to pull the trap, but it seemed to have gotten caught on reefs or rocks.
"I'll dive later to see if I can pull it out. This spot isn't that deep," Brandon said confidently. He trusted his diving skills.
"For now, let's focus on harvesting abalones. Some buyers even texted me to buy abalone from us," Karlos recalled.
A few minutes later, the sun rose. As the surroundings became clearer, they guided the boat closer to the island, waiting for the sea snakes to leave.
With that, the two began harvesting as many abalones as possible. As they frequented the island, they realized it was unique, the island attracting abalones for some reason. They had agreed not to share this information with others, wanting to take advantage of the island's abundance.
Once they were done, the two left the island and returned to the spot where the last trap was stuck in the reef. The water was now brighter under the rising sun.
Brandon took off his t-shirt to swim more easily. He confirmed that the water wasn't too deep, and he could see the reefs clearly, which supported his assumption that the trap was stuck there.
He slipped into the water, leaving Karlos waiting in the boat.
Karlos waited for a few minutes.
He then stared at the surface where Brandon had dived in.
However, instead of seeing Brandon in the water, what Karlos saw was a dorsal fin slicing through the water.
It was a shark.
And judging by its massive size, it was a great white shark.
[Thank you guys for reading this novel.]
"The meal's ready, let's eat," Karlos announced, and the three looked at him. Maya understood what Karlos said, while the twins were simply waiting for movement from the kitchen as their cue.
Karlos brought the dishes to the table while Maya carried the children to their respective baby chairs. The chairs were highly elevated and had straps to make sure they wouldn't fall.
In between bites, the parents had to feed their respective children.
"Arabella, stop drooling. Here, let me wipe your mouth," Maya said to her clearly hungry daughter, gently dabbing her lips with a small towel.
This was their usual dinner routine. If the food was hot, the parents had to blow on it first to cool it down for the twins.
With the tv signal getting worse because of the weather, the family decided to watch a movie after dinner since the television channels were full of static and interruptions. Around this time, Karlos received a text message from Brandon saying, "Okay, it seems like I can wake up late tomorrow."
They agreed that there wouldn't be any work tomorrow.
"You want to watch this again? But you already watched it like 20 times." The twins were pointing at the cartoon movie titled Toys Story.
As their mother, Maya had also watched the movie countless times with them. She might have memorized every line at this point.
"Do you even understand what the toys are saying?"
Arabella nodded, while Iñigo frowned and shook his head, clearly more honest about his confusion.
It seemed like someone was lying. Toys Story was in English, and the kids surely didn't understand it. They could barely form full sentences themselves.
Iñigo looked at Arabella with mild disgust. He believed his sister was lying. How could she understand the toys?
Arabella pointed at her Barbie doll and said, "Toys want to pway with kwids."
"Well, how about this movie? You guys still haven't watched this one. It seems interesting." Maya pointed at a romance movie, trying to convince her children.
The twins curiously looked at the cover picture of the videotape, which showed a couple smiling at each other.
The children shook their heads. They saw these kinds of moments from their parents every day. What they wanted to watch were cartoons, the colorful ones.
"What about you, babe?" Maya asked her husband.
Karlos was sitting on the sofa, relaxing. He was sipping hot chocolate that Maya had made for him. The earlier cup had been taken by Iñigo. Maya wanted him to at least taste the hot chocolate once as a small gesture of appreciation.
"Me? I want to watch action movies like Rambo or Terminator."
"... Never mind, I shouldn't have asked you." She already knew their tastes rarely aligned when it came to movies.
In the end, to keep peace in the family, the children won. However, the movie they picked was not Toys Story but Bug's Life. Maya wanted something different, and they hadn't watched Bug's Life yet.
Their living room had a complete VHS setup, television, and sound system for a better viewing experience, a small luxury Karlos had proudly invested in.
Even though the movie was meant for children, Karlos and Maya admitted it wasn't bad. They even laughed at the jokes, unlike the twins, who didn't understand English. The children simply enjoyed the colorful visuals and lively characters.
Because of the movie, the twins concluded that grasshoppers were bad while ants were good. However, they didn't like ants in real life because ants bit them, so it was slightly confusing.
.........
......
...
The next day, the rain was still present, but it wasn't as strong anymore. The family stayed inside the house the whole time. They had everything they needed, food, electricity, water, and entertainment to pass the time.
The rain outside couldn't bother them.
By afternoon, the rain had completely stopped. Karlos texted Brandon that tomorrow's work might resume, but they still needed to assess the weather. Brandon replied and agreed.
.........
......
...
The next day, very early in the morning, before the sun had risen, many men began preparing for work.
Fishermen first looked at the sky and grinned when they saw the stars, indicating that there were no clouds.
Then they went to the shore to observe the waves. As expected, the waves were normal.
Karlos and Brandon headed to their boat, greeting other fishermen along the way.
They started the boat and journeyed toward the small island. They confirmed that the waves were not dangerous and that they were free to work. Brandon was happy, and so was Karlos.
However, when they reached the island, they realized that their traps had been washed away by the waves. The floaters were no longer in their usual positions.
Most of the time, traps only drifted a few meters from their original spots, but it was different after a storm or strong waves.
"Looks like we have to search around."
They both turned on their flashlights to look for anything floating on the water, especially styrofoam with paint, the floaters of their traps.
One by one, they found every trap, which was fortunate.
"This one is stuck." Brandon tried to pull the trap, but it seemed to have gotten caught on reefs or rocks.
"I'll dive later to see if I can pull it out. This spot isn't that deep," Brandon said confidently. He trusted his diving skills.
"For now, let's focus on harvesting abalones. Some buyers even texted me to buy abalone from us," Karlos recalled.
A few minutes later, the sun rose. As the surroundings became clearer, they guided the boat closer to the island, waiting for the sea snakes to leave.
With that, the two began harvesting as many abalones as possible. As they frequented the island, they realized it was unique, the island attracting abalones for some reason. They had agreed not to share this information with others, wanting to take advantage of the island's abundance.
Once they were done, the two left the island and returned to the spot where the last trap was stuck in the reef. The water was now brighter under the rising sun.
Brandon took off his t-shirt to swim more easily. He confirmed that the water wasn't too deep, and he could see the reefs clearly, which supported his assumption that the trap was stuck there.
He slipped into the water, leaving Karlos waiting in the boat.
Karlos waited for a few minutes.
He then stared at the surface where Brandon had dived in.
However, instead of seeing Brandon in the water, what Karlos saw was a dorsal fin slicing through the water.
It was a shark.
And judging by its massive size, it was a great white shark.
[Thank you guys for reading this novel.]
Chapter 151
New
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2022
- Messages
- 1,316
Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 151
A great white shark can reach 6 meters in length, making it one of the largest predators in the world, a terrifying apex predator that dominates the ocean food chain.
Karlos's boat was only 5 meters long... As he looked at the water, he could see the silhouette of the apex predator lurking beneath the surface. Its massive body swam under the water, its shadow almost engulfing his boat in size.
Karlos felt chills run down his spine... He swallowed hard. His throat suddenly felt dry.
"Brandon--! Brandon!"
He shouted at the water. However, no sound could penetrate it. He clenched the steering handle tightly.
He thought of running away and leaving Brandon. However, he was not that kind of guy. He had to stay until Brandon resurfaced... if he could resurface before the shark attacked him.
Cold sweat covered his body as the dorsal fin lingered around his boat, circling slowly as if studying its prey. He was scared shitless.
'Brandon, please, show up.' Karlos silently prayed.
He thought of diving into the water to warn Brandon, but that would be suicidal.
"Leave! Get away from my boat! Shaaa!! Graaa!! Roar!!" Karlos made desperate noises in hopes of scaring the shark. He grabbed a paddle and slapped the water with it, creating loud smacking sounds.
'Please don't topple my boat, just leave peacefully.' He didn't care about the trap anymore.
With a huge shark like the great white, it could capsize his boat with just a few attacks.
Despite his fear, Karlos continued slapping the water with the paddle to scare the great white shark.
Suddenly, something resurfaced in the water, and it was colored red...
Brandon's shorts were red. Brandon gasped for air after freeing the trap from the reef.
"Brandon! Swim to the boat fast! There's a shark!" Karlos was so relieved to see that Brandon was alright. However, it was time to leave the island! There was no room for hesitation.
Brandon was only a few meters away from the boat when he heard Karlos's yell.
"A fucking what?"
"A great white shark!" Karlos started the boat quickly.
"!!!" Brandon's face turned pale instantly.
Just like Karlos, Brandon moved immediately and swam hard toward the boat. The two met midway, and Brandon pulled himself over the outrigger and climbed in.
"Let's leave this place."
"Alright!"
The two agreed. No one even talked about hauling the last trap. They could retrieve it tomorrow, if they were still alive.
Karlos looked behind them and could still see the dorsal fin following. He felt chills again and decided to speed up, pushing the engine to its limit.
"There's a shark?"
"Yeah, you didn't see it in the water? It's huge, a great white shark."
"No, I haven't seen anything at all." Brandon was just as scared as Karlos. "Besides, I have never seen a great white shark before. It's extremely rare to find one in our country."
Their waters were far too warm in Adobo country, and the seal population was low. Seals were one of the favorite foods of great white sharks, which meant great whites rarely visited their waters.
"Yeah, that's what I thought too. But look behind us, a great white shark is following." Karlos said while steering the boat, keeping his eyes ahead, afraid they might go off course if he didn't focus on navigating.
Brandon looked behind them and saw nothing... except for another boat on the horizon, slowly approaching. Brandon felt relieved when he saw a boat instead of a dorsal fin, thinking it was just another fisherman.
He narrowed his gaze and saw the boat approaching them quickly. Something felt strange about it. It was moving too fast, as if it were chasing them.
"Karlos! Drive faster! There's a boat approaching us!" His relief vanished instantly.
"Huh?"
Karlos turned his head. Indeed, a boat in the distance was heading toward them at full speed. As for the great white shark, it might have already disappeared.
Karlos listened to Brandon and pushed the boat to full speed.
However, the other boat was faster. As it got closer, Brandon confirmed his suspicion.
"Pirates!"
The boat had no fishing equipment. It was too light, which made it faster. On top of that, the engine they used was probably 30 horsepower, more than twice as powerful as Karlos's small bangka.
It was obvious that the boat was meant for pursuing other boats to steal from. A different kind of predator.
"Shit!"
Even Karlos didn't expect that they would encounter pirates at sea. These people were very rare, and their sphere of influence didn't usually reach Timog-Kanluran province. Their area was considered relatively safe.
Karlos gritted his teeth. The engine heated up as it ran at full power. However, the other boat slowly got closer. Both boats were the same size but had different engines. It didn't help that their bangka was heavier because of the lobsters and abalones they had onboard.
Brandon had no choice but to throw away a container of abalones to lighten the load.
The other boat had four people, holding clubs and knives. They were only a few meters away.
Both Karlos and Brandon were losing hope. Once the other boat caught up, it might be their end.
Suddenly, in the corner of his right eye, Karlos saw a dorsal fin cutting through the water.
Instinctively, he turned left to avoid the great white shark.
"What are you doing!?" Brandon yelled. Turning left reduced the distance between them and the pirates, bringing them closer.
"The shark showed up on the right!"
"Shark?" Brandon was stupefied and looked at the water... Again, he saw nothing. He frowned and was about to say something, but the pursuing boat failed to maneuver in time. It continued going straight, giving Karlos and Brandon another chance to escape.
"Go, go!"
Karlos sped up again while the other boat took a few seconds to change direction and follow them.
However, because Karlos had changed their course, they were now heading farther from land... They were moving toward the open sea, where the other boat could easily follow once it caught up.
Brandon could even hear the pirates' laughter and whistles. He clenched his fists and began looking for a weapon to defend himself. Even Karlos was losing hope. They might have to make a final stand to protect their lives.
But just as the pirates got closer, a loud horn echoed across the sea. The pirates' faces turned pale as they recognized the sound.
It was the coast guard.
No one expected that Karlos's bangka was heading straight toward the spot where a coast guard vessel was anchored.
"This is the coast guard! Drop your weapons!" a voice boomed through a megaphone.
A great white shark can reach 6 meters in length, making it one of the largest predators in the world, a terrifying apex predator that dominates the ocean food chain.
Karlos's boat was only 5 meters long... As he looked at the water, he could see the silhouette of the apex predator lurking beneath the surface. Its massive body swam under the water, its shadow almost engulfing his boat in size.
Karlos felt chills run down his spine... He swallowed hard. His throat suddenly felt dry.
"Brandon--! Brandon!"
He shouted at the water. However, no sound could penetrate it. He clenched the steering handle tightly.
He thought of running away and leaving Brandon. However, he was not that kind of guy. He had to stay until Brandon resurfaced... if he could resurface before the shark attacked him.
Cold sweat covered his body as the dorsal fin lingered around his boat, circling slowly as if studying its prey. He was scared shitless.
'Brandon, please, show up.' Karlos silently prayed.
He thought of diving into the water to warn Brandon, but that would be suicidal.
"Leave! Get away from my boat! Shaaa!! Graaa!! Roar!!" Karlos made desperate noises in hopes of scaring the shark. He grabbed a paddle and slapped the water with it, creating loud smacking sounds.
'Please don't topple my boat, just leave peacefully.' He didn't care about the trap anymore.
With a huge shark like the great white, it could capsize his boat with just a few attacks.
Despite his fear, Karlos continued slapping the water with the paddle to scare the great white shark.
Suddenly, something resurfaced in the water, and it was colored red...
Brandon's shorts were red. Brandon gasped for air after freeing the trap from the reef.
"Brandon! Swim to the boat fast! There's a shark!" Karlos was so relieved to see that Brandon was alright. However, it was time to leave the island! There was no room for hesitation.
Brandon was only a few meters away from the boat when he heard Karlos's yell.
"A fucking what?"
"A great white shark!" Karlos started the boat quickly.
"!!!" Brandon's face turned pale instantly.
Just like Karlos, Brandon moved immediately and swam hard toward the boat. The two met midway, and Brandon pulled himself over the outrigger and climbed in.
"Let's leave this place."
"Alright!"
The two agreed. No one even talked about hauling the last trap. They could retrieve it tomorrow, if they were still alive.
Karlos looked behind them and could still see the dorsal fin following. He felt chills again and decided to speed up, pushing the engine to its limit.
"There's a shark?"
"Yeah, you didn't see it in the water? It's huge, a great white shark."
"No, I haven't seen anything at all." Brandon was just as scared as Karlos. "Besides, I have never seen a great white shark before. It's extremely rare to find one in our country."
Their waters were far too warm in Adobo country, and the seal population was low. Seals were one of the favorite foods of great white sharks, which meant great whites rarely visited their waters.
"Yeah, that's what I thought too. But look behind us, a great white shark is following." Karlos said while steering the boat, keeping his eyes ahead, afraid they might go off course if he didn't focus on navigating.
Brandon looked behind them and saw nothing... except for another boat on the horizon, slowly approaching. Brandon felt relieved when he saw a boat instead of a dorsal fin, thinking it was just another fisherman.
He narrowed his gaze and saw the boat approaching them quickly. Something felt strange about it. It was moving too fast, as if it were chasing them.
"Karlos! Drive faster! There's a boat approaching us!" His relief vanished instantly.
"Huh?"
Karlos turned his head. Indeed, a boat in the distance was heading toward them at full speed. As for the great white shark, it might have already disappeared.
Karlos listened to Brandon and pushed the boat to full speed.
However, the other boat was faster. As it got closer, Brandon confirmed his suspicion.
"Pirates!"
The boat had no fishing equipment. It was too light, which made it faster. On top of that, the engine they used was probably 30 horsepower, more than twice as powerful as Karlos's small bangka.
It was obvious that the boat was meant for pursuing other boats to steal from. A different kind of predator.
"Shit!"
Even Karlos didn't expect that they would encounter pirates at sea. These people were very rare, and their sphere of influence didn't usually reach Timog-Kanluran province. Their area was considered relatively safe.
Karlos gritted his teeth. The engine heated up as it ran at full power. However, the other boat slowly got closer. Both boats were the same size but had different engines. It didn't help that their bangka was heavier because of the lobsters and abalones they had onboard.
Brandon had no choice but to throw away a container of abalones to lighten the load.
The other boat had four people, holding clubs and knives. They were only a few meters away.
Both Karlos and Brandon were losing hope. Once the other boat caught up, it might be their end.
Suddenly, in the corner of his right eye, Karlos saw a dorsal fin cutting through the water.
Instinctively, he turned left to avoid the great white shark.
"What are you doing!?" Brandon yelled. Turning left reduced the distance between them and the pirates, bringing them closer.
"The shark showed up on the right!"
"Shark?" Brandon was stupefied and looked at the water... Again, he saw nothing. He frowned and was about to say something, but the pursuing boat failed to maneuver in time. It continued going straight, giving Karlos and Brandon another chance to escape.
"Go, go!"
Karlos sped up again while the other boat took a few seconds to change direction and follow them.
However, because Karlos had changed their course, they were now heading farther from land... They were moving toward the open sea, where the other boat could easily follow once it caught up.
Brandon could even hear the pirates' laughter and whistles. He clenched his fists and began looking for a weapon to defend himself. Even Karlos was losing hope. They might have to make a final stand to protect their lives.
But just as the pirates got closer, a loud horn echoed across the sea. The pirates' faces turned pale as they recognized the sound.
It was the coast guard.
No one expected that Karlos's bangka was heading straight toward the spot where a coast guard vessel was anchored.
"This is the coast guard! Drop your weapons!" a voice boomed through a megaphone.
8ightbit
Know what you're doing yet?
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I have a feeling the shark wasn't actually there, it's probably the ocean goddess sending him a warning and guiding him to safety..
Chapter 152
New
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2022
- Messages
- 1,316
Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 152
The vessel moved closer to the pirates. If the pirates' boat was fast, then the coast guard's vessel was even faster. The pirates tried to escape, but a gunshot reverberated, a sharp bang that made their nerves freeze. The bullet hit the water near the pirates' boat, sealing their fate and sending up a spray of water that made them flinch. It was a clear warning that the next shot would not miss.
"Drop your weapons!" The command boomed from the megaphone.
The pirates were stunned when they saw the bullets pierce the water at such speed. One wrong move and it would be them instead.
Just for a reminder, these pirates had killed people. Yet when guns were pointed at them, they cowered in fear.
In the end, the pirates surrendered, raising their hands stiffly, their faces pale and drained of color.
The coast guards successfully captured the pirates and their boat. They tied them up and made sure they had no hidden weapons, patting them down thoroughly. They also seized the boat as evidence of their crimes. One of the coast guards took over driving it.
As for Karlos and Brandon, they remained where they were. Their boat bobbed on the water as they tried to calm their nerves, taking deep breaths to steady themselves.
Karlos occasionally looked around, trying to see if the great white shark was still nearby. Fortunately, it seemed to be gone. The water finally looked calm.
Then, the coast guard's vessel approached Karlos and Brandon. The two understood the situation they were in. Running away would be a mistake and would only make them look suspicious. Upon closer inspection, the coast guard vessel was large,.almost the size of the commercial trawler that Antonio owned.
The coast guards looked at the two men, some still holding their guns just in case Karlos and Brandon were dangerous. Their eyes assessed their every move.
"Stand down, I know this guy. Karlos, long time no see!"
Someone ordered the coast guards to lower their weapons.
"Marcos!?" Karlos was surprised.
Marcos Araneto. He was Larry's older brother and a Rear Admiral in the Coast Guard.
"Help them get onto our boat. I want to talk to them," Marcos ordered his men.
"Yes, sir!" The men moved immediately.
A foldable ladder was lowered, and the two climbed aboard. Karlos and Brandon were still shaken by what had happened.
First the shark, then the pirates, and now the coast guards. It felt like a chain of unbelievable events.
"Thanks for saving us." Karlos bowed his head slightly.
Marcos smiled and patted Karlos on the shoulder in reassurance.
"You also saved my family. We are even now." His men were listening, so Marcos didn't elaborate further, but his eyes held gratitude.
"Let's go inside. We need to hear your story before we interrogate the pirates. Don't worry, your boat will be fine." He spoke calmly, guiding them toward the cabin.
"Alright." Karlos nodded and followed him inside.
Karlos and Brandon explained everything that had happened. They didn't hide anything, not even the part about the great white shark. Marcos was surprised. He didn't expect a great white shark to migrate to Timog-Kanluran province at the peak of summer. These sharks preferred colder waters.
After hearing their account, Marcos let them go, trusting their story.
"If we have free time, my brother and I will visit you." He had a high opinion of Karlos after he saved Larry. Now, Marcos was even more pleased because Karlos had inadvertently helped them catch pirates. Piracy had been rising again in their region, and Marcos believed the Patong family was connected to it. He hated that family to the core.
"Thank you. Also, please don't tell Maya about what happened here. Is this going to be in the news?" Karlos asked, not wanting his wife to worry.
"This will remain confidential. We are still on a mission, and we can't disclose it to the media," Marcos assured him.
"That would be great." Karlos felt relieved.
Once Karlos and Brandon returned to their bangka, they stayed silent for a while. When the coast guard vessel was finally gone, Brandon spoke first.
"Holy shit. Did we just survive that?" He let out a shaky laugh.
"Yeah, I guess so." Karlos sighed in relief.
The pirates who had tried to attack them would rot in jail. They were responsible for killing a dozen fishermen and stealing their boats. It was fortunate that Karlos and Brandon had survived the ordeal without any injuries.
"Brandon, let's keep what happened today a secret. No one should know. Marcos and the coast guards are on a mission."
"I won't say a word," Brandon promised seriously.
Karlos nodded. He didn't want his wife to know that he had almost been attacked by pirates. If Maya found out, she would panic and might forbid him from going fishing again.
"... Let's take a rest tomorrow. Good thing it's Saturday. We can take a long break." Karlos finally managed a smile.
"That would be great. I'm thinking of taking my parents to the clinic to get eyeglass prescriptions." Brandon wanted to do something meaningful with his earnings.
Now that the danger had passed, the two felt more at ease. They chatted normally as they traveled to the fish port, as if nothing extraordinary had happened.
"About the shark you mentioned, are you sure it was a great white?" Brandon asked curiously, still puzzled by the incident.
"Yeah, it was huge. Its silhouette under the water almost covered the entire bangka." The image was still vivid in Karlos's mind.
"Hm..." Brandon nodded but said nothing more. The entire time, he had never seen a great white shark. Even when he dived underwater, everything had been calm. He hadn't seen anything large, not even a shadow.
Brandon had a conjecture. Unlike Karlos, who didn't know much about the doctrine of the Ocean Church, Brandon was more familiar with the religion.
The two reached the fish port and sold their catch for 47,000 pesos, a decent reward after all the chaos.
After that, they returned to the beach, where teenagers were swimming in the water or gambling their money on betting games.
For obvious reasons, Karlos and Brandon walked quickly. They wanted to get home as soon as possible. They suddenly missed their families.
"Babe, you're back." Maya smiled gently at her husband.
"Hm," Karlos nodded and entered the house, his heart feeling heavy and light at the same time.
"Papa!"
The twins greeted him with hugs, latching onto his legs. Karlos felt his eyes sting slightly...
He was scared.
Afraid that he might never see his family again. He knelt down and faced his two children, staring into their crimson eyes and memorizing their innocent expressions. He took a deep breath, holding back his tears. He kissed their foreheads and hugged them tightly.
"Papa missed you." His voice was slightly hoarse.
The twins giggled and hugged him back, completely unaware of how close they had been to losing him.
[Author's Note: Since it's the second day of the month, I want to promote my Patreon.
Currently, Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad has 67 chapters on Patreon.]
The vessel moved closer to the pirates. If the pirates' boat was fast, then the coast guard's vessel was even faster. The pirates tried to escape, but a gunshot reverberated, a sharp bang that made their nerves freeze. The bullet hit the water near the pirates' boat, sealing their fate and sending up a spray of water that made them flinch. It was a clear warning that the next shot would not miss.
"Drop your weapons!" The command boomed from the megaphone.
The pirates were stunned when they saw the bullets pierce the water at such speed. One wrong move and it would be them instead.
Just for a reminder, these pirates had killed people. Yet when guns were pointed at them, they cowered in fear.
In the end, the pirates surrendered, raising their hands stiffly, their faces pale and drained of color.
The coast guards successfully captured the pirates and their boat. They tied them up and made sure they had no hidden weapons, patting them down thoroughly. They also seized the boat as evidence of their crimes. One of the coast guards took over driving it.
As for Karlos and Brandon, they remained where they were. Their boat bobbed on the water as they tried to calm their nerves, taking deep breaths to steady themselves.
Karlos occasionally looked around, trying to see if the great white shark was still nearby. Fortunately, it seemed to be gone. The water finally looked calm.
Then, the coast guard's vessel approached Karlos and Brandon. The two understood the situation they were in. Running away would be a mistake and would only make them look suspicious. Upon closer inspection, the coast guard vessel was large,.almost the size of the commercial trawler that Antonio owned.
The coast guards looked at the two men, some still holding their guns just in case Karlos and Brandon were dangerous. Their eyes assessed their every move.
"Stand down, I know this guy. Karlos, long time no see!"
Someone ordered the coast guards to lower their weapons.
"Marcos!?" Karlos was surprised.
Marcos Araneto. He was Larry's older brother and a Rear Admiral in the Coast Guard.
"Help them get onto our boat. I want to talk to them," Marcos ordered his men.
"Yes, sir!" The men moved immediately.
A foldable ladder was lowered, and the two climbed aboard. Karlos and Brandon were still shaken by what had happened.
First the shark, then the pirates, and now the coast guards. It felt like a chain of unbelievable events.
"Thanks for saving us." Karlos bowed his head slightly.
Marcos smiled and patted Karlos on the shoulder in reassurance.
"You also saved my family. We are even now." His men were listening, so Marcos didn't elaborate further, but his eyes held gratitude.
"Let's go inside. We need to hear your story before we interrogate the pirates. Don't worry, your boat will be fine." He spoke calmly, guiding them toward the cabin.
"Alright." Karlos nodded and followed him inside.
Karlos and Brandon explained everything that had happened. They didn't hide anything, not even the part about the great white shark. Marcos was surprised. He didn't expect a great white shark to migrate to Timog-Kanluran province at the peak of summer. These sharks preferred colder waters.
After hearing their account, Marcos let them go, trusting their story.
"If we have free time, my brother and I will visit you." He had a high opinion of Karlos after he saved Larry. Now, Marcos was even more pleased because Karlos had inadvertently helped them catch pirates. Piracy had been rising again in their region, and Marcos believed the Patong family was connected to it. He hated that family to the core.
"Thank you. Also, please don't tell Maya about what happened here. Is this going to be in the news?" Karlos asked, not wanting his wife to worry.
"This will remain confidential. We are still on a mission, and we can't disclose it to the media," Marcos assured him.
"That would be great." Karlos felt relieved.
Once Karlos and Brandon returned to their bangka, they stayed silent for a while. When the coast guard vessel was finally gone, Brandon spoke first.
"Holy shit. Did we just survive that?" He let out a shaky laugh.
"Yeah, I guess so." Karlos sighed in relief.
The pirates who had tried to attack them would rot in jail. They were responsible for killing a dozen fishermen and stealing their boats. It was fortunate that Karlos and Brandon had survived the ordeal without any injuries.
"Brandon, let's keep what happened today a secret. No one should know. Marcos and the coast guards are on a mission."
"I won't say a word," Brandon promised seriously.
Karlos nodded. He didn't want his wife to know that he had almost been attacked by pirates. If Maya found out, she would panic and might forbid him from going fishing again.
"... Let's take a rest tomorrow. Good thing it's Saturday. We can take a long break." Karlos finally managed a smile.
"That would be great. I'm thinking of taking my parents to the clinic to get eyeglass prescriptions." Brandon wanted to do something meaningful with his earnings.
Now that the danger had passed, the two felt more at ease. They chatted normally as they traveled to the fish port, as if nothing extraordinary had happened.
"About the shark you mentioned, are you sure it was a great white?" Brandon asked curiously, still puzzled by the incident.
"Yeah, it was huge. Its silhouette under the water almost covered the entire bangka." The image was still vivid in Karlos's mind.
"Hm..." Brandon nodded but said nothing more. The entire time, he had never seen a great white shark. Even when he dived underwater, everything had been calm. He hadn't seen anything large, not even a shadow.
Brandon had a conjecture. Unlike Karlos, who didn't know much about the doctrine of the Ocean Church, Brandon was more familiar with the religion.
The two reached the fish port and sold their catch for 47,000 pesos, a decent reward after all the chaos.
After that, they returned to the beach, where teenagers were swimming in the water or gambling their money on betting games.
For obvious reasons, Karlos and Brandon walked quickly. They wanted to get home as soon as possible. They suddenly missed their families.
"Babe, you're back." Maya smiled gently at her husband.
"Hm," Karlos nodded and entered the house, his heart feeling heavy and light at the same time.
"Papa!"
The twins greeted him with hugs, latching onto his legs. Karlos felt his eyes sting slightly...
He was scared.
Afraid that he might never see his family again. He knelt down and faced his two children, staring into their crimson eyes and memorizing their innocent expressions. He took a deep breath, holding back his tears. He kissed their foreheads and hugged them tightly.
"Papa missed you." His voice was slightly hoarse.
The twins giggled and hugged him back, completely unaware of how close they had been to losing him.
[Author's Note: Since it's the second day of the month, I want to promote my Patreon.
Currently, Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad has 67 chapters on Patreon.]
Chapter 153
New
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2022
- Messages
- 1,316
Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 153
Then, Karlos turned to Maya and smiled with trembling lips.
"... Are you okay?" Maya felt like Karlos was getting emotional as she noticed the way his eyes lingered on her face for too long.
"I'm just happy to see you." His voice trembled slightly.
"But we always see each other." She blinked, tilting her head.
"I know." He shrugged and hugged Maya tightly, wrapping his arms around her and feeling her warmth. He was afraid that he might never see his wife again.
"I love you, Maya." His words came out almost like a confession, carrying a deeper meaning.
"I love you too." She answered immediately, hugging him back.
They shared a light, comforting kiss before Karlos went to the bedroom to take a bath and change his clothes. Karlos looked at the mirror and saw his reflection... He was pale.
He realized how dangerous the sea could be.
The great white shark, a predator hiding in the depths.
The pirates, ruthless men committing crimes.
There had been no one to call for help.
Karlos splashed cold water over his face.
When he went outside, he saw his twins playing while Maya prepared lunch.
"Let's eat," she announced with a warm smile, which made the twins stop playing.
While eating, Karlos thought of something. He looked at his family.
"How about we visit the town plaza tomorrow and have some fun? I heard there's a new restaurant with a small playground. Let's take the kids there and let them enjoy it. After that, we can take pictures together. Or maybe we can take pictures first before going to the restaurant," Karlos said to Maya.
"You don't have a job tomorrow?" She was surprised because Karlos had only sailed three times this week because of the rain, yet he was asking for another day off, which was unusual for someone like him.
"We want to take a rest tomorrow. Brandon said he will take his parents to the clinic to get eyeglass prescriptions." He answered casually but avoided her gaze.
"I see." Maya nodded, but she felt that something was strange. Still, she didn't push her husband to speak... She could wait. She loved her husband so much that she knew when he was acting normal or not. Karlos was not good at lying anyway.
"Then let's do that." Maya also wanted to explore the town more now, especially since they had their own tricycle. They didn't have to hire transportation anymore.
The family spent the day together, with the twins being active and happy as always. The kids were easy to satisfy. Just give them toys and food, and they would be happy. Simple things brought them joy. Furthermore, since they were twins, they could play together. They never felt lonely, always having one another. Of course, they still asked their father to carry them, shouting, "Papa, up, up!"
.........
......
...
The next day, Karlos kept his promise, and the family went to the town plaza to see the brand-new restaurant... Only to realize that it was actually a fast food restaurant, Jollybee.
"This is the shop we were talking about last time. It was just under renovation when we first saw it," Maya recalled.
The family had already taken family pictures at a photography shop, nothing fancy, just the four of them smiling at the camera. The photos were quickly developed, and Maya looked at them carefully. They looked happy together. Her husband looked handsome, while the twins looked absolutely adorable. She was glad they had more pictures together.
Anyway, Arabella and Iñigo were starstruck by Jollybee! There was a Jollybee mascot waving his hands at the customers, enthusiastically greeting each family. Sometimes he even danced.
The twins were thrilled to see the mascot they had only seen on television now standing right in front of them.
They were seeing a celebrity today! At least, that was what the twins believed.
"Jowwybee!" Arabella squealed, and even Iñigo was eager to get close to the mascot.
Maya and Karlos carried the twins toward the mascot. Jollybee greeted them warmly and even shook their hands, making the twins giggle with delight.
Of course, the main purpose of going to the restaurant was to eat. Just like other fast food restaurants, Jollybee served greasy meals like fried chicken and burgers, but they were undeniably delicious.
Arabella was having the best time of her life. She once thought swimming in a pool while eating food was already a luxury, but eating fried chicken while Jollybee danced in the background was on another level.
Iñigo looked around and noticed a small playground in the corner of the restaurant. There were swings, slides, and see-saws. It immediately caught his interest, and he pointed eagerly, asking his father to take them to the playground.
Naturally, Karlos brought the twins to the playground and watched over them, making sure they were safe while having fun. As for Maya, she stayed at their table and enjoyed a sundae ice cream, savoring the quiet moment while her husband handled the children.
There were other children in the playground, and the twins quickly made friends with them.
"Your kids?" a father asked Karlos, making casual conversation.
"Yeah, they are my twins," Karlos replied happily.
"They look alike. The boy they are playing with is actually my son. He kept crying and throwing tantrums because he wanted to play at Jollybee." The man chuckled helplessly.
"..." Karlos was speechless. His twins might start behaving the same way now that there was a Jollybee in their town... And he was right. From now on, whenever the kids threw tantrums, one of the easiest ways to pacify them would be taking them to Jollybee.
That day, the twins truly enjoyed their time at Jollybee. They had delicious food and a place to play, everything a child could ask for. Even Arabella and Iñigo were reluctant to leave.
They only agreed to go home because their parents promised to take them to Jollybee again next week.
Of course, the parents didn't forget to buy kiddie meals for them. The kiddie meal was a combo meal that included toys, one of the marketing strategies used to attract children to the restaurant.
The theme that month was Fokemon and Hello Kitty-Kitty Cat, which Iñigo and Arabella received. So even though they had to leave Jollybee, they still had toys with them, which made the departure a little easier to accept.
[Thank you guys for your support.]
Then, Karlos turned to Maya and smiled with trembling lips.
"... Are you okay?" Maya felt like Karlos was getting emotional as she noticed the way his eyes lingered on her face for too long.
"I'm just happy to see you." His voice trembled slightly.
"But we always see each other." She blinked, tilting her head.
"I know." He shrugged and hugged Maya tightly, wrapping his arms around her and feeling her warmth. He was afraid that he might never see his wife again.
"I love you, Maya." His words came out almost like a confession, carrying a deeper meaning.
"I love you too." She answered immediately, hugging him back.
They shared a light, comforting kiss before Karlos went to the bedroom to take a bath and change his clothes. Karlos looked at the mirror and saw his reflection... He was pale.
He realized how dangerous the sea could be.
The great white shark, a predator hiding in the depths.
The pirates, ruthless men committing crimes.
There had been no one to call for help.
Karlos splashed cold water over his face.
When he went outside, he saw his twins playing while Maya prepared lunch.
"Let's eat," she announced with a warm smile, which made the twins stop playing.
While eating, Karlos thought of something. He looked at his family.
"How about we visit the town plaza tomorrow and have some fun? I heard there's a new restaurant with a small playground. Let's take the kids there and let them enjoy it. After that, we can take pictures together. Or maybe we can take pictures first before going to the restaurant," Karlos said to Maya.
"You don't have a job tomorrow?" She was surprised because Karlos had only sailed three times this week because of the rain, yet he was asking for another day off, which was unusual for someone like him.
"We want to take a rest tomorrow. Brandon said he will take his parents to the clinic to get eyeglass prescriptions." He answered casually but avoided her gaze.
"I see." Maya nodded, but she felt that something was strange. Still, she didn't push her husband to speak... She could wait. She loved her husband so much that she knew when he was acting normal or not. Karlos was not good at lying anyway.
"Then let's do that." Maya also wanted to explore the town more now, especially since they had their own tricycle. They didn't have to hire transportation anymore.
The family spent the day together, with the twins being active and happy as always. The kids were easy to satisfy. Just give them toys and food, and they would be happy. Simple things brought them joy. Furthermore, since they were twins, they could play together. They never felt lonely, always having one another. Of course, they still asked their father to carry them, shouting, "Papa, up, up!"
.........
......
...
The next day, Karlos kept his promise, and the family went to the town plaza to see the brand-new restaurant... Only to realize that it was actually a fast food restaurant, Jollybee.
"This is the shop we were talking about last time. It was just under renovation when we first saw it," Maya recalled.
The family had already taken family pictures at a photography shop, nothing fancy, just the four of them smiling at the camera. The photos were quickly developed, and Maya looked at them carefully. They looked happy together. Her husband looked handsome, while the twins looked absolutely adorable. She was glad they had more pictures together.
Anyway, Arabella and Iñigo were starstruck by Jollybee! There was a Jollybee mascot waving his hands at the customers, enthusiastically greeting each family. Sometimes he even danced.
The twins were thrilled to see the mascot they had only seen on television now standing right in front of them.
They were seeing a celebrity today! At least, that was what the twins believed.
"Jowwybee!" Arabella squealed, and even Iñigo was eager to get close to the mascot.
Maya and Karlos carried the twins toward the mascot. Jollybee greeted them warmly and even shook their hands, making the twins giggle with delight.
Of course, the main purpose of going to the restaurant was to eat. Just like other fast food restaurants, Jollybee served greasy meals like fried chicken and burgers, but they were undeniably delicious.
Arabella was having the best time of her life. She once thought swimming in a pool while eating food was already a luxury, but eating fried chicken while Jollybee danced in the background was on another level.
Iñigo looked around and noticed a small playground in the corner of the restaurant. There were swings, slides, and see-saws. It immediately caught his interest, and he pointed eagerly, asking his father to take them to the playground.
Naturally, Karlos brought the twins to the playground and watched over them, making sure they were safe while having fun. As for Maya, she stayed at their table and enjoyed a sundae ice cream, savoring the quiet moment while her husband handled the children.
There were other children in the playground, and the twins quickly made friends with them.
"Your kids?" a father asked Karlos, making casual conversation.
"Yeah, they are my twins," Karlos replied happily.
"They look alike. The boy they are playing with is actually my son. He kept crying and throwing tantrums because he wanted to play at Jollybee." The man chuckled helplessly.
"..." Karlos was speechless. His twins might start behaving the same way now that there was a Jollybee in their town... And he was right. From now on, whenever the kids threw tantrums, one of the easiest ways to pacify them would be taking them to Jollybee.
That day, the twins truly enjoyed their time at Jollybee. They had delicious food and a place to play, everything a child could ask for. Even Arabella and Iñigo were reluctant to leave.
They only agreed to go home because their parents promised to take them to Jollybee again next week.
Of course, the parents didn't forget to buy kiddie meals for them. The kiddie meal was a combo meal that included toys, one of the marketing strategies used to attract children to the restaurant.
The theme that month was Fokemon and Hello Kitty-Kitty Cat, which Iñigo and Arabella received. So even though they had to leave Jollybee, they still had toys with them, which made the departure a little easier to accept.
[Thank you guys for your support.]
Chapter 154
New
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2022
- Messages
- 1,316
Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 154
When they returned home, the twins immediately played with their new toys and entertained themselves. With some free time, Maya took the chance to take a nap, while Karlos was responsible for watching the kids.
While watching them and thinking about life, Karlos' determination slowly became firm. He didn't want to experience what happened yesterday again. If possible, he wanted to avoid it. And if he couldn't, then he would do his best to defend himself.
Karlos understood his position in life. He was the father of two children and the husband of his wife, the pillar of a small but loving family. He had a family to support. He had to work hard to provide for their needs.
The best way to avoid pirates was by stopping being a fisherman altogether, a simple solution on paper. But Karlos couldn't afford that. Not when he was finally seeing success through fishing. He knew himself well. He couldn't start a business because he didn't have experience, and he didn't have a knack for it. Working as a laborer or employee was another option, but that path felt like a dead end. Karlos had worked as a waiter, a construction worker, and many other jobs before. They consumed time but never brought prosperity. He couldn't see any real success in them.
But fishing was different. For the first time in his life, Karlos felt like the sea was giving him blessings every time he sailed. It was as if he had a superpower. On top of that, Karlos truly enjoyed his job. He loved the sea.
So this time, Karlos felt that the best decision was to contact Larry and ask for a favor.
He opened his phone and called him. Not even a few seconds later, Larry answered the call, his voice sounding casual.
"Hey Karlos, are you doing well?"
"I'm fine... Did Marcos say anything about me?"
Karlos stepped outside for a moment but kept the door open so he could still look at the kids playing in the living room, making sure they were alright.
"Huh? No, I don't think so. Did you guys meet?"
Based on Larry's reaction, Marcos had kept his promise and didn't tell anyone about what had happened, keeping the dangerous incident confidential.
Karlos paused for a moment... Since he had already made the call, he decided to pursue his intention.
"Larry, what can I do to get a gun?"
"..." Larry didn't speak for a moment, clearly surprised by the request.
"Karlos, just tell me the name of the target and I'll take care of him or her. Is this about the maid Claire?" Larry had contacts who could solve those kinds of problems.
"What? No, no, I'm not talking about that. Actually..." Left with no choice, Karlos explained what had happened yesterday.
"Just keep it a secret between us. I don't want my family to worry."
"I understand." After listening to the story, Larry finally realized why Karlos was looking for a gun. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine. The coast guard showed up and saved us... Am I even allowed to tell you this?"
"Nah, it's fine. My brother can understand. It's not your fault. Anyway, what kind of gun do you want? I have pistols, AK-47s, grenades, and more."
"Just a pistol."
"Are you sure you can handle a gun? I can take you to a firing range."
"Thanks, Larry. Let's set up a schedule." Karlos felt slightly relieved.
"Alright."
Yesterday, the pirates didn't have guns, so Karlos and Brandon were not shot. But what about next time? Karlos wanted a safety measure. He wasn't even sure if he was doing the right thing, but this was the best he could do for now to protect himself and his family.
When he returned to the house, Arabella called him because she wanted to drink water.
"Watah! Watah!" she said, raising her little hands.
.........
......
...
The next day, Sunday.
The family went to the small Ocean Church in their neighborhood, and Brandon was also present. After working with Karlos, Brandon started attending the church every Sunday to praise the Ocean Goddess.
The family sat down. After the worship songs, the priest began his sermon. This time, he talked about the guardians of the Ocean Goddess.
"Our Divine Goddess has four guardians who protect the ocean. First is the Grand Turtle, a huge turtle that carries an island on its back. Second is the Kraken, a gigantic octopus that sinks bad ships that destroy the ecosystem. Third is the Sea Dragon, which can control the waves and the sea. Fourth is the elusive Shark. This guardian is invisible to the naked eye, the most mysterious one."
Right when the priest said that, Brandon instinctively glanced at Karlos, who didn't think much of the sermon. Brandon's pupils trembled as a thought formed in his mind.
The guardians were mythical creatures that had never appeared in the modern world. The last time a guardian supposedly appeared was 5,000 years ago. There were no cameras to prove their existence, only written testaments and stories passed down through generations.
Karlos yawned as he struggled to focus on the sermon while the priest was preaching. Even Maya was quite tired but happy... The couple had spent quite some time "cuddling" last night, so they were sleep-deprived.
.........
......
...
June, 2000.
It had been more than a month since Karlos and Brandon encountered the pirates. Despite the incident, the two continued fishing, as neither of them wanted to lose their livelihood. They needed the income.
They especially wanted to keep working because they were finally seeing improvements in their lives. Danger had always been part of a fisherman's life, and that alone was not enough to scare Karlos and Brandon.
When the two stepped into the fish port, buyers were already flocking to them, eager to buy their lobsters and abalones.
Karlos counted the money when a young guy approached him and greeted him.
"Uncle!" the teenager called loudly.
"Huh?" Karlos stopped counting and looked at the teenager.
"Uncle? I'm just three years younger than you." Karlos had turned 22 last month, and the family had only held a simple celebration. Karlos invited his friends, and even Larry showed up... That was also the moment when Larry secretly gave a pistol and a box of bullets to Karlos.
"Well, you already have a wife and children, so you're technically an uncle." The teenager shrugged.
"..." Karlos didn't know how to respond.
[Thank you guys for supporting this novel.]
When they returned home, the twins immediately played with their new toys and entertained themselves. With some free time, Maya took the chance to take a nap, while Karlos was responsible for watching the kids.
While watching them and thinking about life, Karlos' determination slowly became firm. He didn't want to experience what happened yesterday again. If possible, he wanted to avoid it. And if he couldn't, then he would do his best to defend himself.
Karlos understood his position in life. He was the father of two children and the husband of his wife, the pillar of a small but loving family. He had a family to support. He had to work hard to provide for their needs.
The best way to avoid pirates was by stopping being a fisherman altogether, a simple solution on paper. But Karlos couldn't afford that. Not when he was finally seeing success through fishing. He knew himself well. He couldn't start a business because he didn't have experience, and he didn't have a knack for it. Working as a laborer or employee was another option, but that path felt like a dead end. Karlos had worked as a waiter, a construction worker, and many other jobs before. They consumed time but never brought prosperity. He couldn't see any real success in them.
But fishing was different. For the first time in his life, Karlos felt like the sea was giving him blessings every time he sailed. It was as if he had a superpower. On top of that, Karlos truly enjoyed his job. He loved the sea.
So this time, Karlos felt that the best decision was to contact Larry and ask for a favor.
He opened his phone and called him. Not even a few seconds later, Larry answered the call, his voice sounding casual.
"Hey Karlos, are you doing well?"
"I'm fine... Did Marcos say anything about me?"
Karlos stepped outside for a moment but kept the door open so he could still look at the kids playing in the living room, making sure they were alright.
"Huh? No, I don't think so. Did you guys meet?"
Based on Larry's reaction, Marcos had kept his promise and didn't tell anyone about what had happened, keeping the dangerous incident confidential.
Karlos paused for a moment... Since he had already made the call, he decided to pursue his intention.
"Larry, what can I do to get a gun?"
"..." Larry didn't speak for a moment, clearly surprised by the request.
"Karlos, just tell me the name of the target and I'll take care of him or her. Is this about the maid Claire?" Larry had contacts who could solve those kinds of problems.
"What? No, no, I'm not talking about that. Actually..." Left with no choice, Karlos explained what had happened yesterday.
"Just keep it a secret between us. I don't want my family to worry."
"I understand." After listening to the story, Larry finally realized why Karlos was looking for a gun. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine. The coast guard showed up and saved us... Am I even allowed to tell you this?"
"Nah, it's fine. My brother can understand. It's not your fault. Anyway, what kind of gun do you want? I have pistols, AK-47s, grenades, and more."
"Just a pistol."
"Are you sure you can handle a gun? I can take you to a firing range."
"Thanks, Larry. Let's set up a schedule." Karlos felt slightly relieved.
"Alright."
Yesterday, the pirates didn't have guns, so Karlos and Brandon were not shot. But what about next time? Karlos wanted a safety measure. He wasn't even sure if he was doing the right thing, but this was the best he could do for now to protect himself and his family.
When he returned to the house, Arabella called him because she wanted to drink water.
"Watah! Watah!" she said, raising her little hands.
.........
......
...
The next day, Sunday.
The family went to the small Ocean Church in their neighborhood, and Brandon was also present. After working with Karlos, Brandon started attending the church every Sunday to praise the Ocean Goddess.
The family sat down. After the worship songs, the priest began his sermon. This time, he talked about the guardians of the Ocean Goddess.
"Our Divine Goddess has four guardians who protect the ocean. First is the Grand Turtle, a huge turtle that carries an island on its back. Second is the Kraken, a gigantic octopus that sinks bad ships that destroy the ecosystem. Third is the Sea Dragon, which can control the waves and the sea. Fourth is the elusive Shark. This guardian is invisible to the naked eye, the most mysterious one."
Right when the priest said that, Brandon instinctively glanced at Karlos, who didn't think much of the sermon. Brandon's pupils trembled as a thought formed in his mind.
The guardians were mythical creatures that had never appeared in the modern world. The last time a guardian supposedly appeared was 5,000 years ago. There were no cameras to prove their existence, only written testaments and stories passed down through generations.
Karlos yawned as he struggled to focus on the sermon while the priest was preaching. Even Maya was quite tired but happy... The couple had spent quite some time "cuddling" last night, so they were sleep-deprived.
.........
......
...
June, 2000.
It had been more than a month since Karlos and Brandon encountered the pirates. Despite the incident, the two continued fishing, as neither of them wanted to lose their livelihood. They needed the income.
They especially wanted to keep working because they were finally seeing improvements in their lives. Danger had always been part of a fisherman's life, and that alone was not enough to scare Karlos and Brandon.
When the two stepped into the fish port, buyers were already flocking to them, eager to buy their lobsters and abalones.
Karlos counted the money when a young guy approached him and greeted him.
"Uncle!" the teenager called loudly.
"Huh?" Karlos stopped counting and looked at the teenager.
"Uncle? I'm just three years younger than you." Karlos had turned 22 last month, and the family had only held a simple celebration. Karlos invited his friends, and even Larry showed up... That was also the moment when Larry secretly gave a pistol and a box of bullets to Karlos.
"Well, you already have a wife and children, so you're technically an uncle." The teenager shrugged.
"..." Karlos didn't know how to respond.
[Thank you guys for supporting this novel.]
Chapter 155
New
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
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Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 155
The younger man in front of Karlos was Robin, Antonio's second son, the guy who inherited the mid-size bangka.
Antonio's commercial trawler boat was now sailing farther into the sea, spending days offshore before returning to the beach and earning a substantial amount per trip.
Antonio had asked his friends, the fishermen, to take care of Robin if they saw him in the sea or at the fish port. Karlos kept his promise and helped Robin by introducing him to trusted buyers who wouldn't scam him.
The fish port had all kinds of people, some of whom could not be trusted and would take advantage of the weak. There was even a time when a buyer used a faulty weighing scale to scam a poor fisherman. Another time, buyers cheated people by paying with fake money.
Of course, some fishermen also scammed buyers by putting stones in the fish's mouths and stomachs to add unnecessary weight and cheat the scale. Again, the fish port had many kinds of people.
"Kid, I'm not an uncle." Karlos shook his head.
"See, you just called me kid." Robin shrugged. Next to Robin was Bastos, Jerry's younger brother. Robin had decided to partner with Bastos and another friend to fish.
Bastos had a profit share, but Karlos didn't know the exact arrangement. Karlos was a bit surprised when he heard about it because there had been certain rumors about Bastos lately.
Being a boat owner meant you needed people you could trust, and it seemed that Robin trusted Bastos. Well, Robin and Bastos were friends, and Karlos sometimes saw them playing on the beach a year ago.
Now, these kids had stopped gambling and soliciting fishermen. They had decided to start a real career, which made Karlos feel proud. For a reminder, Karlos was only a few years older than them, yet his mindset felt much older.
He had matured early because he experienced the hardships of life sooner. He completely shed his immaturity when he got married and had children, as responsibility helped him to grow up.
"You guys doing alright?" Brandon approached them in a friendly tone and asked Robin about their fishing situation.
"Yeah, we are getting used to it. Fishing is not that simple at all. Waking up early is the hardest part." Robin scratched his head.
Brandon and Karlos chuckled. Indeed, waking up early was the hardest part. Especially on cold mornings when the body just wanted to stay in bed.
"You guys are not young anymore. You should focus on your future," Karlos said before bidding farewell.
As the two left, Bastos turned to Robin.
"Why didn't you tell him that catching fish isn't easy? We barely made any money today." Bastos frowned, clearly dissatisfied.
"... I'm shy," Robin answered. Even though Karlos was only slightly older than them, he had a presence that made him feel respectable. Karlos reminded Robin of his father, and since Robin respected his father, he naturally respected Karlos as well.
Bastos shook his head, clearly annoyed.
"You heard the story that Karlos and Brandon know a spot where you can find lobsters and abalones."
Many fishermen were curious about that, but Karlos and Brandon kept quiet about it, never revealing the location.
"But that's their spot. We can't just invade their territory."
"We are not invading their territory. No one owns the sea. We can fish wherever we want." Bastos grinned. He needed money to visit the red-light district.
Actually, when Robin first invited Bastos to fish with him, Bastos had no intention of doing so. But he couldn't visit the red-light district without money, so he had no choice but to work with him. Soliciting and gambling were not enough to satisfy his greed and lust.
He earned 700 pesos on average, which was already a decent amount, but Bastos wanted more, especially after breaking his back hauling nets. He realized that fishing was not easy. To make money, he had to work hard, something he wasn't used to.
"But it doesn't feel right," Robin answered, still hesitant.
"Nah, there's nothing wrong with it... How about this? I have a plan. You just have to trust me. You also want to make money, right?"
"... Alright." Robin agreed reluctantly.
Money. It was always about money. People would do everything for money. The saying 'money makes the world go round' existed for a reason. It motivated people, sometimes to the extreme.
.........
......
...
The next day, Karlos and Brandon woke up while the sky was still dark. They went to the beach and found other fishermen busy with their respective boats, preparing nets and checking engines.
One by one, the boats sailed into the sea to catch fish, their small lights drifting across the water. Karlos and Brandon also started their job by heading toward the island.
However, midway through their route, Karlos noticed something strange.
"Is someone following us?" Karlos asked.
"Really!?" Brandon was surprised and turned around. Indeed, they saw a light about a hundred meters behind them. Despite the distance, the darkness made the small light stand out clearly.
"You might be right. This boat has been following us for a while."
Boats traveling in the same direction were nothing unusual. But they usually separated halfway since each boat had its own fishing spots. This time, however, the boat behind them didn't change direction. It kept a steady distance. With the lights on, Karlos and Brandon finally noticed it.
"... What now?" Brandon asked.
"We know the reason why they are doing it." It seemed the lobster and abalone fishing spot was too tempting.
"This is the second time this has happened." Brandon sighed, remembering the previous incident.
Last month, someone had also tried to follow them, but Karlos and Brandon noticed their intentions before anything could happen.
"Should we approach them?"
"If we approach them and ask why they are following us, they will probably lie about it just like last time."
"Fortunately, we have a long line this time."
Karlos lightly patted his bag... The pistol inside gave him some courage.
Last time, they approached the boat that was following them and asked why they were trailing behind, but the fishermen denied the accusation.
Karlos and Brandon didn't pursue the matter further and thought they might have been mistaken, but the boat never stopped following them. That day, Karlos and Brandon decided to return to the beach and end their trip without catching anything. The boat that followed them had no choice but to resume fishing after realizing that Karlos and Brandon didn't fall for their trick.
[Thank you guys for your support. I appreciate it a lot.]
The younger man in front of Karlos was Robin, Antonio's second son, the guy who inherited the mid-size bangka.
Antonio's commercial trawler boat was now sailing farther into the sea, spending days offshore before returning to the beach and earning a substantial amount per trip.
Antonio had asked his friends, the fishermen, to take care of Robin if they saw him in the sea or at the fish port. Karlos kept his promise and helped Robin by introducing him to trusted buyers who wouldn't scam him.
The fish port had all kinds of people, some of whom could not be trusted and would take advantage of the weak. There was even a time when a buyer used a faulty weighing scale to scam a poor fisherman. Another time, buyers cheated people by paying with fake money.
Of course, some fishermen also scammed buyers by putting stones in the fish's mouths and stomachs to add unnecessary weight and cheat the scale. Again, the fish port had many kinds of people.
"Kid, I'm not an uncle." Karlos shook his head.
"See, you just called me kid." Robin shrugged. Next to Robin was Bastos, Jerry's younger brother. Robin had decided to partner with Bastos and another friend to fish.
Bastos had a profit share, but Karlos didn't know the exact arrangement. Karlos was a bit surprised when he heard about it because there had been certain rumors about Bastos lately.
Being a boat owner meant you needed people you could trust, and it seemed that Robin trusted Bastos. Well, Robin and Bastos were friends, and Karlos sometimes saw them playing on the beach a year ago.
Now, these kids had stopped gambling and soliciting fishermen. They had decided to start a real career, which made Karlos feel proud. For a reminder, Karlos was only a few years older than them, yet his mindset felt much older.
He had matured early because he experienced the hardships of life sooner. He completely shed his immaturity when he got married and had children, as responsibility helped him to grow up.
"You guys doing alright?" Brandon approached them in a friendly tone and asked Robin about their fishing situation.
"Yeah, we are getting used to it. Fishing is not that simple at all. Waking up early is the hardest part." Robin scratched his head.
Brandon and Karlos chuckled. Indeed, waking up early was the hardest part. Especially on cold mornings when the body just wanted to stay in bed.
"You guys are not young anymore. You should focus on your future," Karlos said before bidding farewell.
As the two left, Bastos turned to Robin.
"Why didn't you tell him that catching fish isn't easy? We barely made any money today." Bastos frowned, clearly dissatisfied.
"... I'm shy," Robin answered. Even though Karlos was only slightly older than them, he had a presence that made him feel respectable. Karlos reminded Robin of his father, and since Robin respected his father, he naturally respected Karlos as well.
Bastos shook his head, clearly annoyed.
"You heard the story that Karlos and Brandon know a spot where you can find lobsters and abalones."
Many fishermen were curious about that, but Karlos and Brandon kept quiet about it, never revealing the location.
"But that's their spot. We can't just invade their territory."
"We are not invading their territory. No one owns the sea. We can fish wherever we want." Bastos grinned. He needed money to visit the red-light district.
Actually, when Robin first invited Bastos to fish with him, Bastos had no intention of doing so. But he couldn't visit the red-light district without money, so he had no choice but to work with him. Soliciting and gambling were not enough to satisfy his greed and lust.
He earned 700 pesos on average, which was already a decent amount, but Bastos wanted more, especially after breaking his back hauling nets. He realized that fishing was not easy. To make money, he had to work hard, something he wasn't used to.
"But it doesn't feel right," Robin answered, still hesitant.
"Nah, there's nothing wrong with it... How about this? I have a plan. You just have to trust me. You also want to make money, right?"
"... Alright." Robin agreed reluctantly.
Money. It was always about money. People would do everything for money. The saying 'money makes the world go round' existed for a reason. It motivated people, sometimes to the extreme.
.........
......
...
The next day, Karlos and Brandon woke up while the sky was still dark. They went to the beach and found other fishermen busy with their respective boats, preparing nets and checking engines.
One by one, the boats sailed into the sea to catch fish, their small lights drifting across the water. Karlos and Brandon also started their job by heading toward the island.
However, midway through their route, Karlos noticed something strange.
"Is someone following us?" Karlos asked.
"Really!?" Brandon was surprised and turned around. Indeed, they saw a light about a hundred meters behind them. Despite the distance, the darkness made the small light stand out clearly.
"You might be right. This boat has been following us for a while."
Boats traveling in the same direction were nothing unusual. But they usually separated halfway since each boat had its own fishing spots. This time, however, the boat behind them didn't change direction. It kept a steady distance. With the lights on, Karlos and Brandon finally noticed it.
"... What now?" Brandon asked.
"We know the reason why they are doing it." It seemed the lobster and abalone fishing spot was too tempting.
"This is the second time this has happened." Brandon sighed, remembering the previous incident.
Last month, someone had also tried to follow them, but Karlos and Brandon noticed their intentions before anything could happen.
"Should we approach them?"
"If we approach them and ask why they are following us, they will probably lie about it just like last time."
"Fortunately, we have a long line this time."
Karlos lightly patted his bag... The pistol inside gave him some courage.
Last time, they approached the boat that was following them and asked why they were trailing behind, but the fishermen denied the accusation.
Karlos and Brandon didn't pursue the matter further and thought they might have been mistaken, but the boat never stopped following them. That day, Karlos and Brandon decided to return to the beach and end their trip without catching anything. The boat that followed them had no choice but to resume fishing after realizing that Karlos and Brandon didn't fall for their trick.
[Thank you guys for your support. I appreciate it a lot.]
Chapter 156
New
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2022
- Messages
- 1,316
Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 156
After that incident, the two made a plan to protect their livelihood. If another boat tried to follow them, they would fish using a long line instead. They would not approach the island at all until they made sure no one was following them. They would rather waste time than expose their secret spot.
"The lobsters can last for days in the traps, so it's not that bad. But the long line, Karlos, we don't have bait. Do we just set the long line and hope the fish will get hooked?" Brandon frowned, clearly skeptical about the idea.
"Do we even have a choice? Let's do longline fishing and wait until they leave. If they don't leave, then we'll just continue doing longline fishing." Karlos answered, clearly frustrated.
Karlos glanced at the boat. It was quite far but still visible to the eye, and it continued following them. Its silhouette was obvious, but they couldn't discern whose boat it was, the darkness hiding its identity.
"Alright, I'll unroll them. This spot is deep and good for longline fishing. We can fish here." Brandon exhaled, accepting the plan. There was no better option anyway.
Brandon threw the hooks into the water one by one while the boat continued moving forward. Once they were done setting the line, the two decided to take a rest and eat their meals, letting the long line sit idle so that more fish could hopefully get hooked.
"You brought something nice today?" Brandon asked, trying to lighten the mood.
"My wife cooked mutton last night, and I just reheated it using the microwave," Karlos smirked.
"That's cool."
The two shared the meal while using biscuit crackers as a staple, dipping them into the mutton sauce. After half an hour, they finished eating and drank hot water from the thermos to fight off the cold.
"The boat is still following us," Brandon said while looking at the distant boat.
"Let them be. We won't confront them. Once the sun rises, we'll see who they are."
Boats could often be recognized by their paint and patterns, and Karlos knew most of the boats around the beachside and Bay Harbor. For now, the two had no choice but to play along with the situation.
After a short rest, they looked for the bobbing floater. Honestly, they didn't have high hopes of catching fish since they didn't have bait. They were simply wasting time so that the other boat would get tired and leave.
But unexpectedly, Brandon felt that the line was quite heavy.
"Huh?" He looked confused as he began pulling it up. There was a force resisting him.
Soon, the first hook surfaced and a grouper flipped wildly in the air. Its stomach was bloated and reflected the beam of the flashlight.
"A grouper, and it's alive." Brandon sounded surprised.
"There's a container with water. I'll put it there." With the flashlight on, Karlos carefully punctured the fish's stomach to release the trapped air. This way, the grouper wouldn't die quickly and could remain alive longer, which increased its value.
"This is an Orange Spotted Grouper, a nice catch." With the help of the flashlight, Karlos identified its species.
Just as Karlos finished handling the first fish, Brandon pulled up the second one.
"Another grouper... Too bad it's already dead."
Brandon wasn't that disappointed. He hadn't even expected the long line to catch any fish, let alone two.
A grouper was still expensive even when dead. However, many buyers preferred live ones because their freshness was obvious. A live fish fetched a higher price.
They placed it in another container meant for the lobsters.
"... Another grouper, and it's alive." If Brandon had been surprised earlier, now he was simply confused. They had caught their fifth grouper one after another.
'... Did we find another fishing spot?' Brandon wondered to himself. His heart started beating faster with excitement.
He decided to remember this location in case they had to rely on longline fishing again. This area seemed to be abundant with grouper.
Grouper was a very expensive fish because of its delicious flavor. It was a prized catch that fishermen loved to sell.
They were so happy that they almost forgot their original reason for doing longline fishing. By the time the 70th hook was hauled in, they had caught 25 groupers along with 32 other types of fish.
"The sun's here."
The first rays of sunlight made them remember their situation. They immediately turned around to check if the boat was still following them.
"They left."
Brandon narrowed his eyes and saw the tiny silhouette of the boat far away in the distance. He clicked his tongue.
"They escaped before we could recognize their boat. Bunch of bastards," Brandon muttered.
"So what's our plan? Most of the groupers are still alive. If we visit the island, these groupers probably won't survive that long. Should we sell them first?" Brandon asked while thinking about how to preserve their value.
Karlos checked his phone. It was 5 a.m. After thinking about it, he decided that it would be better to return to the fish port first and sell the groupers and other fish.
"It's still early. We can sell them first. Then we'll harvest abalones before hauling the lobster traps. The tide is still high at this hour, so it's difficult to harvest abalones anyway."
"Alright, you're the boss."
They weren't that far from the fish port anyway. A round trip would only take about an hour and a half at most.
The boat turned around as they headed toward the fish port to sell the fish first before returning to the island later.
Karlos went full speed and reached the fish port after forty minutes. They quickly found buyers and sold the fish without haggling over the price. In total, they earned 23,000 pesos.
"Where are the abalones and lobsters?" a buyer asked. He had been waiting for Karlos's boat to arrive so he could buy their usual catch, only to see fish in the containers.
"We'll return later."
"Alright, sell them to me," the buyer said eagerly.
"If you're still here."
Karlos and Brandon immediately left after confirming the sales and counting the money. Their boat roared as it traveled at top speed.
After forty-five minutes, they stopped in front of the island. The sun was already rising, and the tide was just waist-deep. The two chipped the abalones off the rocks one by one. They moved quickly because they didn't want to waste time. Once the high tide arrived, they would have no choice but to stop.
[Thank you guys for your support.]
After that incident, the two made a plan to protect their livelihood. If another boat tried to follow them, they would fish using a long line instead. They would not approach the island at all until they made sure no one was following them. They would rather waste time than expose their secret spot.
"The lobsters can last for days in the traps, so it's not that bad. But the long line, Karlos, we don't have bait. Do we just set the long line and hope the fish will get hooked?" Brandon frowned, clearly skeptical about the idea.
"Do we even have a choice? Let's do longline fishing and wait until they leave. If they don't leave, then we'll just continue doing longline fishing." Karlos answered, clearly frustrated.
Karlos glanced at the boat. It was quite far but still visible to the eye, and it continued following them. Its silhouette was obvious, but they couldn't discern whose boat it was, the darkness hiding its identity.
"Alright, I'll unroll them. This spot is deep and good for longline fishing. We can fish here." Brandon exhaled, accepting the plan. There was no better option anyway.
Brandon threw the hooks into the water one by one while the boat continued moving forward. Once they were done setting the line, the two decided to take a rest and eat their meals, letting the long line sit idle so that more fish could hopefully get hooked.
"You brought something nice today?" Brandon asked, trying to lighten the mood.
"My wife cooked mutton last night, and I just reheated it using the microwave," Karlos smirked.
"That's cool."
The two shared the meal while using biscuit crackers as a staple, dipping them into the mutton sauce. After half an hour, they finished eating and drank hot water from the thermos to fight off the cold.
"The boat is still following us," Brandon said while looking at the distant boat.
"Let them be. We won't confront them. Once the sun rises, we'll see who they are."
Boats could often be recognized by their paint and patterns, and Karlos knew most of the boats around the beachside and Bay Harbor. For now, the two had no choice but to play along with the situation.
After a short rest, they looked for the bobbing floater. Honestly, they didn't have high hopes of catching fish since they didn't have bait. They were simply wasting time so that the other boat would get tired and leave.
But unexpectedly, Brandon felt that the line was quite heavy.
"Huh?" He looked confused as he began pulling it up. There was a force resisting him.
Soon, the first hook surfaced and a grouper flipped wildly in the air. Its stomach was bloated and reflected the beam of the flashlight.
"A grouper, and it's alive." Brandon sounded surprised.
"There's a container with water. I'll put it there." With the flashlight on, Karlos carefully punctured the fish's stomach to release the trapped air. This way, the grouper wouldn't die quickly and could remain alive longer, which increased its value.
"This is an Orange Spotted Grouper, a nice catch." With the help of the flashlight, Karlos identified its species.
Just as Karlos finished handling the first fish, Brandon pulled up the second one.
"Another grouper... Too bad it's already dead."
Brandon wasn't that disappointed. He hadn't even expected the long line to catch any fish, let alone two.
A grouper was still expensive even when dead. However, many buyers preferred live ones because their freshness was obvious. A live fish fetched a higher price.
They placed it in another container meant for the lobsters.
"... Another grouper, and it's alive." If Brandon had been surprised earlier, now he was simply confused. They had caught their fifth grouper one after another.
'... Did we find another fishing spot?' Brandon wondered to himself. His heart started beating faster with excitement.
He decided to remember this location in case they had to rely on longline fishing again. This area seemed to be abundant with grouper.
Grouper was a very expensive fish because of its delicious flavor. It was a prized catch that fishermen loved to sell.
They were so happy that they almost forgot their original reason for doing longline fishing. By the time the 70th hook was hauled in, they had caught 25 groupers along with 32 other types of fish.
"The sun's here."
The first rays of sunlight made them remember their situation. They immediately turned around to check if the boat was still following them.
"They left."
Brandon narrowed his eyes and saw the tiny silhouette of the boat far away in the distance. He clicked his tongue.
"They escaped before we could recognize their boat. Bunch of bastards," Brandon muttered.
"So what's our plan? Most of the groupers are still alive. If we visit the island, these groupers probably won't survive that long. Should we sell them first?" Brandon asked while thinking about how to preserve their value.
Karlos checked his phone. It was 5 a.m. After thinking about it, he decided that it would be better to return to the fish port first and sell the groupers and other fish.
"It's still early. We can sell them first. Then we'll harvest abalones before hauling the lobster traps. The tide is still high at this hour, so it's difficult to harvest abalones anyway."
"Alright, you're the boss."
They weren't that far from the fish port anyway. A round trip would only take about an hour and a half at most.
The boat turned around as they headed toward the fish port to sell the fish first before returning to the island later.
Karlos went full speed and reached the fish port after forty minutes. They quickly found buyers and sold the fish without haggling over the price. In total, they earned 23,000 pesos.
"Where are the abalones and lobsters?" a buyer asked. He had been waiting for Karlos's boat to arrive so he could buy their usual catch, only to see fish in the containers.
"We'll return later."
"Alright, sell them to me," the buyer said eagerly.
"If you're still here."
Karlos and Brandon immediately left after confirming the sales and counting the money. Their boat roared as it traveled at top speed.
After forty-five minutes, they stopped in front of the island. The sun was already rising, and the tide was just waist-deep. The two chipped the abalones off the rocks one by one. They moved quickly because they didn't want to waste time. Once the high tide arrived, they would have no choice but to stop.
[Thank you guys for your support.]